Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13(8), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13080824
Home and Work Physical Activity Environments: Associations with Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity Level in French Women
Jean-Michel Oppert 1,2,*
, Marie-Aline Charles 3, Hélène Charreire 4, Mehdi Menai 2, Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij 5
, Soren Brage 6, Blandine De Lauzon-Guillain 3, Guy Fagherazzi 7 and Beverley Balkau 7
, Soren Brage 6, Blandine De Lauzon-Guillain 3, Guy Fagherazzi 7 and Beverley Balkau 7
1
Department of Nutrition Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris 06, Paris F-75013, France
2
Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM), University of Paris 13, Bobigny F-93017, France
3
Early Origin of the Child Health and Development Team (ORCHAD), INSERM, UMR1153 Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center (CRESS), Paris Descartes University France, Paris F-75014, France
4
Lab-Urba Urbanism Institute of Paris, University of Paris Est, UPEC, Créteil F-94010, France
5
Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, Ghent 9000, Belgium
6
MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Box 285, Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
7
INSERM UMR-S 1018 (CESP), Universities Paris South and St Quentin-en-Yvelines, Villejuif Cedex F-94807, France
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou
Received: 4 June 2016 / Revised: 9 August 2016 / Accepted: 10 August 2016 / Published: 15 August 2016
Abstract
The influence of the physical activity environment in the home and at work on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and objectively-measured physical activity has not been extensively studied. We recruited 147 women with a (mean ± SD) age of 54 ± 7 years and without evidence of chronic disease. The physical activity environment was assessed by self-report (Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity or ALPHA questionnaire), CRF using a submaximal step test, usual physical activity using combined heart rate and accelerometry, as well as by a validated questionnaire (Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire). Summary scores of the home environment and the work environment derived from the ALPHA questionnaire were positively correlated with CRF after adjustment for age (r = 0.18, p = 0.03 and r = 0.28, p < 0.01, respectively). Women owning a bicycle or having a garden (which may prompt physical activity) had higher CRF; those with a bicycle at home also had a higher physical activity energy expenditure. Similarly, women who had access to fitness equipment at work had higher CRF. In conclusion, these results provide new insights into potential environmental influences on physical capacity and physical activity that could inform the design of physical activity promotion strategies. View Full-TextKeywords:
home environment; workplace environment; physical activity; physical fitness; aerobic capacity; accelerometer; heart rate; questionnaire
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
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Oppert, J.-M.; Charles, M.-A.; Charreire, H.; Menai, M.; De Bourdeaudhuij, I.; Brage, S.; De Lauzon-Guillain, B.; Fagherazzi, G.; Balkau, B. Home and Work Physical Activity Environments: Associations with Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity Level in French Women. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 824.
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