Public Health

A Systematic Review of Fast Food Access Studies

Fleischhacker, SE
Evenson, KR
Rodriguez, DA
Ammerman, AS
2011

The frequent consumption of energy-dense fast food is associated with increased body mass index. This systematic review aims to examine the methodology and current evidence on fast food access and its associations with outcomes. Six databases were searched using terms relating to fast food. Only peer-reviewed studies published in English during a 10-year period, with data collection and analysis regarding fast food access were included. Forty articles met the aforementioned criteria. Nearly half of the studies (n = 16) used their own set of features to define fast food....

A Tale of Two Trails: Exploring Different Paths to Success

Walker, JG
Evenson, KR
Davis, WJ
Bors, P
Rodriguez, DA
2011

This comparative case study investigates 2 successful community trail initiatives, using the Active Living By Design (ALBD) Community Action Model as an analytical framework. The model includes 5 strategies: preparation, promotion, programs, policy, and physical projects. Key stakeholders at 2 sites participated in in-depth interviews (N = 14). Data were analyzed for content using Atlas Ti and grouped according to the 5 strategies. Preparation: Securing trail resources was challenging, but shared...

Improving Health Through Policies that Promote Active Travel: A Review of Evidence to Support Integrated Health Impact Assessment

Nazelle, A De
Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ
Anto, JM
Brauer, M
Briggs, D
Braun-Fahrlander, C
Cavill, N
Cooper, A
Desqueyroux, H
Fruin, S
Hoek, G
Panis, L
Janssen, N
Jerrett, M
Joffe, M
Andersen, Z
Kempen, E
Kingham, S
Kubesch, N
Leyden, K
Marshall, J
Matamala, J
Mellios, G
Mendez, M
Nassif, H
Ogilvie, D
Peiró, R
Perez, K
Rabl, A
Ragettli, M
Rodriguez, D
Rojas, D
Ruiz, P
Sallis, J
Terwoert, J
Toussaint, J
Tuomisto, J
Zuurbier, M
Lebret, E
2011
Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health...

Improving Estimates of Travel Activity and AIir Pollution Exposure Through Ubiquitous Sensing Technologies

Nazelle, A De
Seto, E
Donaire, D
Mendez, M
Matamala, J
Portella, M
Rodriguez, D
Nieuwenhuijsen, M
Jerrett, M
2011
Travel activity may have important influences on health, potentially contributing meaningfully to both physical activity (PA; walking and cycling) and inhaled air pollution. Ubiquitous sensing technology is a promising innovation to track locations of travel activity and associated levels of energy expenditure. We present results of a pilot study testing the use and performance of Calfit, a novel smart-phone based software that continuously records geo-positioning and PA estimated from an accelerometer integrated into Android cell-phone technology. Methods: We equipped 36 volunteers with an...

Out and About: Association of the Built Environment with Physical Activity Behaviors of Adolescent Females

Rodriguez, DA
Cho, GH
Evenson, KR
Conway, TL
Cohen, D
Ghosh-Dastidar, B
Pickrel, J
Veblen-Mortenson, S
Lytle, L
2012

Locational data, logged on portable GPS units and matched with accelerometer data, was used to examine associations of the built environment with physical activity and sedentary behaviors of adolescent females. In a sample of 293 adolescent females aged 15 to 18 years old in Minneapolis and San Diego, the built environment around each GPS point and its corresponding sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was examined using random intercept multinomial logistic regression models. The odds of higher physical activity intensity (3-level outcome: sedentary...

Role of Built Environments in Physical Activity, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Disease

Sallis, JF
Floyd, MF
Rodriguez, DA
Saelens, BE
2012
In industrialized nations like the United States and Sweden, the vast majority of adults do not meet the physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes per week.1(link is external) Inactive lifestyles put most adults at risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes mellitus, obesity, some cancers, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders.2(link is external) Physical activity can be...

Exploring a Public Health Perspective on Pedestrian Planning

Evenson, KR
Satinsky, SB
Rodriguez, DA
Aytur, SA
2011
A pedestrian plan is a public document that explains a community’s vision and goals for future pedestrian activity. This study explored whether involvement by public health professionals in the development of pedestrian plans was associated with certain characteristics of the plan (vision, goals, identified programs, and evaluation). This study identified, collected, and analyzed content of all pedestrian plans in North Carolina through 2008. Among the 46 plans, 39% reported involvement by public health professionals in their development. Overall, 72% of pedestrian plans included a vision...

Mindfulness, Time Affluence, and Journey-based Affect: Exploring Relationships

LaJeunesse, S
Rodriguez, D
2012
Behavioral travel research has neglected to examine the role of mindfulness in the context of the work commute. Mindfulness is a psychological construct that has been associated with improvements to mental health, social engagement, and behavioral regulation. We examined ways in which users of different travel modes perceive their journey to work from an affective stance, their dispositional mindfulness, and time affluence. Using survey data from 786 university employees, we estimated a structural equation model capturing the direct and indirect relationships between mindfulness and the...

Cured Meat Consumption Increases Risk of Readmission in COPD patients

Batlle, J De
Mendez, M
Romieu, I
Balcells, E
Benet, M
Donair-Gonzales, D
Ferrer, J
Orozco-Levi, M
Anto, J
Garcia-Aymerich, J
the PAC-COPD Study Group
2012

Recent studies have shown that a high dietary intake of cured meat increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. However, its potential effects on COPD evolution have not been tested. We aimed to assess the association between dietary intake of cured meat and risk of COPD readmission in COPD patients. 274 COPD patients were recruited during their first COPD admission between 2004 and 2006, provided information on dietary intake of cured meat during the previous 2 yrs, and were followed until December 31, 2007 (median follow-up 2.6 yrs). Associations...

Evidence for Validity of Five Secondary Data Sources for Enumerating Retail Food Outlets in Seven American Indian Communities in North Carolina

Fleischhacker, SE
Rodriguez, DA
Evenson, KR
Henley, A
Gizlice, Z
Soto, D
Ramachandran, G
2012

Most studies on the local food environment have used secondary sources to describe the food environment, such as government food registries or commercial listings (e.g., Reference USA). Most of the studies exploring evidence for validity of secondary retail food data have used on-site verification and have not conducted analysis by data source (e.g., sensitivity of Reference USA) or by food outlet type (e.g., sensitivity of Reference USA for convenience stores). Few studies have explored the food environment in American Indian communities. To advance the science on measuring the food...