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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Study protocol

Kids in the city study: research design and methodology

Authors: Melody Oliver, Karen Witten, Robin A Kearns, Suzanne Mavoa, Hannah M Badland, Penelope Carroll, Chelsea Drumheller, Nicola Tavae, Lanuola Asiasiga, Su Jelley, Hector Kaiwai, Simon Opit, En-Yi Judy Lin, Paul Sweetsur, Helen Moewaka Barnes, Nic Mason, Christina Ergler

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Physical activity is essential for optimal physical and psychological health but substantial declines in children's activity levels have occurred in New Zealand and internationally. Children's independent mobility (i.e., outdoor play and traveling to destinations unsupervised), an integral component of physical activity in childhood, has also declined radically in recent decades. Safety-conscious parenting practices, car reliance and auto-centric urban design have converged to produce children living increasingly sedentary lives. This research investigates how urban neighborhood environments can support or enable or restrict children's independent mobility, thereby influencing physical activity accumulation and participation in daily life.

Methods/Design

The study is located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighborhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density. Participants comprise 160 children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers. Objective measures (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems, observational audits) assessed children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighborhood infrastructure, and streetscape attributes. Parent and child neighborhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods.

Discussion

This study is one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. Using robust, appropriate, and best practice objective measures, this study provides robust epidemiological information regarding the relationships between the built environment and health outcomes for this population.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Kids in the city study: research design and methodology
Authors
Melody Oliver
Karen Witten
Robin A Kearns
Suzanne Mavoa
Hannah M Badland
Penelope Carroll
Chelsea Drumheller
Nicola Tavae
Lanuola Asiasiga
Su Jelley
Hector Kaiwai
Simon Opit
En-Yi Judy Lin
Paul Sweetsur
Helen Moewaka Barnes
Nic Mason
Christina Ergler
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-587

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