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Home / American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 35, Number 6

Neighborhood Environment, Self-efficacy, and Physical Activity in Urban Adolescents

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Objectives: To test the pathways between perceptions of built environment factors and physical activity in urban youth. Methods: Three hundred fifty high school students' perceptions of neighborhood, and barrier self efficacy were measured by a Web survey. Physical activities were assessed using a one-week diary and accelerometers. Results: Land-use mix/accessibility and neighborhood satisfaction had direct pathways to walking. Barrier self-efficacy had a direct pathway to walking. In addition, land use, specifically neighborhood accessibility, influenced adolescents' walking behavior via self-efficacy. Similar pathways were found in MVPA models. Conclusions: Neighborhood factors appear to work together with self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity.

Keywords: BUILT ENVIRONMENT; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; SELF-EFFICACY; URBAN; WALKING BEHAVIOR

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Behavioral and Community Health University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD 2: University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Health and Kinesiology, San Antonio, TX 3: Portland State University, Portland, OR

Publication date: 01 November 2011

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  • The American Journal of Health Behavior seeks to improve the quality of life through multidisciplinary health efforts in fostering a better understanding of the multidimensional nature of both individuals and social systems as they relate to health behaviors.

    The Journal aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of personal attributes, personality characteristics, behavior patterns, social structure, and processes on health maintenance, health restoration, and health improvement; to disseminate knowledge of holistic, multidisciplinary approaches to designing and implementing effective health programs; and to showcase health behavior analysis skills that have been proven to affect health improvement and recovery.

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