Comparing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index with the Google Street View Measure of Vegetation to Assess Associations between Greenness, Walkability, Recreational Physical Activity, and Health in Ottawa, Canada

Paul J. Villeneuve, Renate L. Ysseldyk, Ariel Root, Sarah Ambrose, Jason DiMuzio, Neerija Kumar, Monica Shehata, Min Xi, Evan Seed, Xiaojiang Li, Mahdi Shooshtari and Daniel Rainham
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Paul J. Villeneuve: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Renate L. Ysseldyk: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Ariel Root: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Sarah Ambrose: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Jason DiMuzio: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Neerija Kumar: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Monica Shehata: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Min Xi: Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Evan Seed: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
Xiaojiang Li: Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Mahdi Shooshtari: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
Daniel Rainham: Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: The manner in which features of the built environment, such as walkability and greenness, impact participation in recreational activities and health are complex. We analyzed survey data provided by 282 Ottawa adults in 2016. The survey collected information on participation in recreational physical activities by season, and whether these activities were performed within participants’ neighbourhoods. The SF-12 instrument was used to characterize their overall mental and physical health. Measures of active living environment, and the satellite derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Google Street View (GSV) greenness indices were assigned to participants’ residential addresses. Logistic regression and least squares regression were used to characterize associations between these measures and recreational physical activity, and self-reported health. The NDVI was not associated with participation in recreational activities in either the winter or summer, or physical or mental health. In contrast, the GSV was positively associated with participation in recreational activities during the summer. Specifically, those in the highest quartile spent, on average, 5.4 more hours weekly on recreational physical activities relative to those in the lowest quartile ( p = 0.01). Active living environments were associated with increased utilitarian walking, and reduced reliance on use of motor vehicles. Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that neighbourhood greenness may play an important role in promoting participation in recreational physical activity during the summer.

Keywords: built environment; walkability; greenness; recreational physical activity; mental health; physical health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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