Human Environments Analysis Lab (HEAL)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2016
Journal
Environment and Behavior
Volume
48
Issue
3
First Page
421
Last Page
453
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0013916514543177
Abstract
This study examines the neighborhood activity spaces (NAS) of 9- to 13-year-old children (n = 143) from seven schools in London, Canada. Data from Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers worn for 7 days were used to isolate and test measures for children’s pedestrian-based neighborhood activity: the maximum distance traveled from home and relative time spent in neighborhood settings. Descriptive and linear regression analyses examined the influence of individual, perceptual, and environmental factors on neighborhood use and travel. Participants spent a large portion of their out-of-school time (75%) in their NAS. Although traveling far from home on occasion, 94.5% of children’s time on average was spent within a short distance of home; participants spent little of their free time in broader neighborhood settings. School travel mode and independent mobility were among the strongest predictors of both distance traveled and time spent close to home. Perceptions of neighborhood safety, neighborhood type, and nearby land uses also influenced local activity.
Notes
Also available open access in Environment and Behavior at: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0013916514543177