Cargando…

Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?

Researchers are beginning to explore environmental correlates to further the field of physical activity research. Before interventions and experimental investigations can be undertaken, it is necessary to identify specific environmental features that are consistent correlates of physical activity. T...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Nelson, N.M., Wright, A., Lowry, R.G., Mutrie, N.
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Libertas Academica 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3091344/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21572837
_version_ 1782203246028259328
author Nelson, N.M.
Wright, A.
Lowry, R.G.
Mutrie, N.
author_facet Nelson, N.M.
Wright, A.
Lowry, R.G.
Mutrie, N.
author_sort Nelson, N.M.
collection PubMed
description Researchers are beginning to explore environmental correlates to further the field of physical activity research. Before interventions and experimental investigations can be undertaken, it is necessary to identify specific environmental features that are consistent correlates of physical activity. There has been a plethora of research measuring such cross-sectional associations since this field came to the fore in 2003. This paper posits that it is time for researchers to evaluate the state of knowledge, and suggests that future developments in this field focus on the theoretical bases for (i) measurement of the environment and (ii) understanding the links between perceptions of the environment and behaviour through psychological theories of cognition. Key theories considered include social ecology and the theory of planned behaviour. It is suggested that with a continued absence of a common conceptual framework, vocabulary and measurement tools the majority of studies may remain at a correlates stage. In highlighting issues with current methodologies, this commentary encourages more grounded theoretical approaches to the study of the environment and physical activity.
format Text
id pubmed-3091344
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2008
publisher Libertas Academica
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-30913442011-05-13 Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity? Nelson, N.M. Wright, A. Lowry, R.G. Mutrie, N. Environ Health Insights Special Issue Researchers are beginning to explore environmental correlates to further the field of physical activity research. Before interventions and experimental investigations can be undertaken, it is necessary to identify specific environmental features that are consistent correlates of physical activity. There has been a plethora of research measuring such cross-sectional associations since this field came to the fore in 2003. This paper posits that it is time for researchers to evaluate the state of knowledge, and suggests that future developments in this field focus on the theoretical bases for (i) measurement of the environment and (ii) understanding the links between perceptions of the environment and behaviour through psychological theories of cognition. Key theories considered include social ecology and the theory of planned behaviour. It is suggested that with a continued absence of a common conceptual framework, vocabulary and measurement tools the majority of studies may remain at a correlates stage. In highlighting issues with current methodologies, this commentary encourages more grounded theoretical approaches to the study of the environment and physical activity. Libertas Academica 2008-12-02 /pmc/articles/PMC3091344/ /pubmed/21572837 Text en © the author(s), publisher and licensee Libertas Academica Ltd. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
spellingShingle Special Issue
Nelson, N.M.
Wright, A.
Lowry, R.G.
Mutrie, N.
Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title_full Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title_fullStr Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title_full_unstemmed Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title_short Where is the Theoretical Basis for Understanding and Measuring the Environment for Physical Activity?
title_sort where is the theoretical basis for understanding and measuring the environment for physical activity?
topic Special Issue
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3091344/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21572837
work_keys_str_mv AT nelsonnm whereisthetheoreticalbasisforunderstandingandmeasuringtheenvironmentforphysicalactivity
AT wrighta whereisthetheoreticalbasisforunderstandingandmeasuringtheenvironmentforphysicalactivity
AT lowryrg whereisthetheoreticalbasisforunderstandingandmeasuringtheenvironmentforphysicalactivity
AT mutrien whereisthetheoreticalbasisforunderstandingandmeasuringtheenvironmentforphysicalactivity