Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (NQLS)
Factors explaining physical activity remain poorly understood. Past studies have been limited to explaining demographic and psychosocial determinants of physical activity as environmental variables, such as transportation and urban planning, are generally ignored by health behavior scientists. There is a need for improved understanding of the correlates of physical activity so that public health and clinical interventions can target stronger mediators of the behavior.
Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (NQLS) will involve the collaboration between two different areas of research: health behavior and transportation/urban planning. The study seeks to investigate the association of physical environment characteristics with physical activity, and to determine if the neighborhood where someone lives affects his/her quality of life and physical activity.
This observational epidemiologic study will allow comparisons among stratified "walkable" communities to evaluate the association of physical environment, psychosocial, and sociodemographic variables with physical activity. Adult activity and neighborhood perceptions were attained from participants in Seattle and Baltimore neighborhoods.
This study included primary investigator Dr. Sallis and co-investigator Dr. Frank.
NQLS integrates public health and transportation conceptual frameworks and methodologies, and employs objective measures of environmental and physical activity variables, to improve understanding of physical activity correlates among adults.
For further information regarding this project, please visit the NQLS website.
