TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical activity in the summer heat
T2 - How hot weather moderates the relationship between built environment features and outdoor physical activity of adults
AU - Lanza, Kevin
AU - Stone, Brian
AU - Chakalian, Paul M.
AU - Gronlund, Carina J.
AU - Hondula, David M.
AU - Larsen, Larissa
AU - Mallen, Evan
AU - Haardörfer, Regine
N1 - Funding Information:
The sample for this longitudinal study originated from the Three city Heat and Electrical failure AdapTation (3HEAT) study (National Science Foundation, grant number 1520803). The 3HEAT study aimed to estimate (1) how behavioral, environmental, and technological changes mitigate the health impact of extreme heat in Atlanta, GA; Detroit, MI; and Phoenix, AZ; and (2) the human health risk of power outages during periods of extreme heat. Atlanta, Detroit, and Phoenix were selected as study cities for their representation of different US climate regions and proximity to the 3HEAT research teams of Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, and Arizona State University, respectively. The research teams recruited ~50 individuals per city through nonrandom sampling, with the goal of capturing a spatial mix of adults that resembled the city’s demographic composition. Prior to undertaking any study activities, research teams at the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, and Arizona State University were granted institutional approval of study protocols and obtained informed consent from all study participants. From July to September 2016, researchers asked study participants to complete at least 6 study days, with eligible study days identified as those forecasted to be comparably hotter than others throughout the summer.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Background: Research has not yet examined how hot weather moderates the relationship between the built environment and outdoor physical activity levels. The authors posited that hot days will increase the magnitude of the expected directional effect of built environment features on physical activity. Methods: This longitudinal study included 134 US adults from the Three city Heat and Electrical failure AdapTation study. Adults self-reported physical activity for multiple summer days (nstudy-days = 742) in 2016. Hot days were defined as ≥90th percentile of daily maximum heat index. Built environment features included density, safety, trees, hilliness, connectivity, access to parks, and access to shops + services. Separate growth curve models with interaction terms (ie, hot day × built environment feature) were run for daily minutes of outdoor physical activity (ie, any activity and recommended activity). Results: Neither hot days nor built environment features impacted outdoor physical activity significantly, and hot days did not moderate the relationship between built environment features and physical activity (P > .05). Conclusions:With adults failing to modify behavior on hot days, cities may be placing adults at increased risk of exertional heat illness. The authors recommend incorporating the risk of exertional heat illness in health impact assessments and deploying heat management strategies.
AB - Background: Research has not yet examined how hot weather moderates the relationship between the built environment and outdoor physical activity levels. The authors posited that hot days will increase the magnitude of the expected directional effect of built environment features on physical activity. Methods: This longitudinal study included 134 US adults from the Three city Heat and Electrical failure AdapTation study. Adults self-reported physical activity for multiple summer days (nstudy-days = 742) in 2016. Hot days were defined as ≥90th percentile of daily maximum heat index. Built environment features included density, safety, trees, hilliness, connectivity, access to parks, and access to shops + services. Separate growth curve models with interaction terms (ie, hot day × built environment feature) were run for daily minutes of outdoor physical activity (ie, any activity and recommended activity). Results: Neither hot days nor built environment features impacted outdoor physical activity significantly, and hot days did not moderate the relationship between built environment features and physical activity (P > .05). Conclusions:With adults failing to modify behavior on hot days, cities may be placing adults at increased risk of exertional heat illness. The authors recommend incorporating the risk of exertional heat illness in health impact assessments and deploying heat management strategies.
KW - Health determinants
KW - Heat management strategies
KW - Public health practice
KW - Temperature
KW - Urban climate
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U2 - 10.1123/jpah.2019-0399
DO - 10.1123/jpah.2019-0399
M3 - Article
C2 - 31918409
AN - SCOPUS:85082331500
VL - 17
SP - 261
EP - 269
JO - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
JF - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
SN - 1543-3080
IS - 3
ER -