Research Database

Combining GPS, GIS, and accelerometry to explore the physical activity and environment relationship in children and young people – a review

  • Published on Sept. 13, 2014

Abstract: The environment has long been associated with physical activity engagement, and recent developments in technology have resulted in the ability to objectively quantify activity behaviours and activity context. This paper reviews studies that have combined Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and accelerometry to investigate the PA-environment ...


Beyond the home: Effects of including more than one location on modeled relationships between environment and physical activity

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: The dominant methodology for assessing the effects of environment on physical activity focuses on the home environment. However physical activity may occur throughout the day in other locations. These environments may play a role in influencing amount of physical activity conducted, and should be considered. Methods: Eight studies using ...


Associations between neighbourhood typologies and MVPA and sedendtary time

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: Most studies of neighbourhood features examine singular neighbourhood attributes, which may pattern in different ways. This study aimed to identify typologies of neighbourhood attributes and their associations with physical activity among children. Methods: The homes of 808 children aged 5-6 and 10-12 years were mapped in a Geographic Information System. ...


Greenspace and MVPA in urban and rural Scottish adolescents: A study using accelerometry, GPS, and GIS

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: The importance of greenspace for young people’s moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is still unknown. Few studies exist which combine accelerometry, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) among youths. This study investigated the relationship between (i) amount of neighbourhood greenspace and MVPA, and (ii) MVPA time ...


The impact of missing Global Positioning System (GPS) signal data on relationships between environmental variables and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: Explore environment-related patterns of GPS signal-loss, levels of objectively measured physical activity (PA) during periods of GPS signal loss, and the effect of missing GPS data on relationships between environmental variables, PA and sedentary behavior. Methods: Eight free-living studies using GPS and accelerometer devices were pooled, representing a range ...


Go out and play: Children’s outdoor time and context-specific physical activity by gender

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: Being outdoors is as a correlate for enhanced physical activity (PA), but the association has seldom been investigated using objective measures. This paper investigates the association between week day outdoor time and context-specific moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) by gender. Methods: Children (n=170, 11-16 years old) from the When ...


Neighborhood and home environments and GPS-derived location-specific physical activity in adolescents

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: To compare relations of neighborhood walkability and home equipment to (1) total and (2) location-specific physical activity. Methods: 290 adolescents (M age=14.1±1.4 years; 45% girls; 74.7% White non-Hispanic) wore GPS and accelerometers for 5.4±1.9 days set to record at 30-second epochs. GIS was used to calculate a walkability index (sum of z-scores for density, mixed-use, ...




Mapping schoolyard behavior using GIS, GPS and accelerometers

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: To investigate how schoolchildren use different schoolyard areas and whether these areas are associated with different types of behavior. Schoolyard characteristics seem to be related to behavior during recess, but exactly which behavior takes place where is unclear. Methods: Time spent by 316 students (grade 5-8) in 5 types of schoolyard ...