IPEN Adolescent: International Study of Built Environments and Physical Activity
Responsibility
Prof. James F. Sallis, Ph.D.
Responsibility on behalf of the Czech Republic
Doc. Mgr. Josef Mitáš, Ph.D.
Prof. PhDr. Karel Frömel, DrSc.
Research team on behalf of the Czech Republic
Mgr. Jan Dygrýn; Mgr. Dana Feltlová, Ph.D.; Mgr. František Chmelík, Ph.D.; Mgr. Lukáš Rubín;
Mgr. Ferdinand Salonna, Ph.D.; Mgr. Jana Vašíčková, Ph.D.; Mgr. Michal Vorlíček
Financial support
NIH Grant (č. R01 HL111378)
Duration of the project
2012–2016
Aims
The aim of this research is to use comparable methods in at least 9 diverse countries to obtain accurate estimates of how strongly built environments are related to physical activity and weight, so environmental and policy interventions can by suggested.
Main aims are:
- to estimate strengths of association between objective GIS-based measures of the community environment with accelerometer-measured PA and sedentary time in adolescents;
- to estimate strengths of association between perceived measures of the community environment (IPEN Adolescent survey) with self-reported walking/cycling to/from school and participation in youth sports and activity classes;
- to estimate strengths of association between objective and perceived environment measures with overweight/obesity in adolescents (defined by international criteria).
Realization
IPEN Adolescent project is a coordinated study of built environments and PA, sedentary behavior, and obesity using common methods and based on completed TEAN study of adolescents in US and the IPEN Adult study coordinated by IPEN research team. At least 4680 adolescents aged 12–18 years, from at least 9 countries will participate. In each country, a minimum of 300 adolescents will be recruited from neighborhoods selected to vary in walkability and socioeconomic status. All countries in IPEN Adolescent will collect objective measures of PA and sedentary time by accelerometry. Validated and systematically adapted surveys will assess built and social environment attributes, psychosocial and demographic variables, and additional outcomes (active transport to school, participation in organized sports and activity classes). GIS-derived measures of walkability (community designs that support walking to destinations), playability (access to recreation facilities), and pedestrian accessibility (sidewalks, transit, barriers to walking) will be analyzed separately and combined into a “physical activity-friendliness” index. Analyses will adjust for multi-level clustering and individual demographics.
