Effect of urban area size and commutiim modes on physical activity among working people who took part in health guidance

Abstract

In the present research, first we evaluated the association between urban area size and commuting modes with physical activity among working people. Then we investigated the longitudinal effects o f urban area size and commuting modes on increased physical activity due to health guidance intervention. The subjects were 401 male employees (aged 46.3±7.8) o f A corporation, and were split into two groups, metropolitan area group (N=235) and local area group (N=166), based on the population density o f place of work. IPAQ-E was used for evaluation of walking environments, and physical activity was assessed using pedometers. The intervention consisted o f an exercise-focusea health guidance over the course o f one year. The cross-sectional study admitted that in comparison with the local area group the metropolitan area group had more than physical activity (pO'Ol). Not only the size o f urban area but commuting modes were significantly related to the level o f daily physical activity (p<0.001). In longitudinal study, regarding the effects of the intervention for the physical activity, the study showed the possibility that urban area size was not directly effective but traffic safety in residential area (p<0.05) and willingness to take a walk (p<0.01) were effective. The cross-sectional study suggested that the size o f the urban area and commuting modes had independently an effect on the physical activity o f working people. The longitudinal study, on the other hand, suggested that the size of the urban area and commuting modes may not any direct influence on the effects of physical activity intervention.