Sedentariness of College Students Is Negatively Associated with Perceived Neighborhood Greenness at Home, but Not at University

Alexander Karl Ferdinand Loder and Mireille Nicoline Maria van Poppel
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Alexander Karl Ferdinand Loder: Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz & Staff Department Quality Management, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Graz 8010, Austria
Mireille Nicoline Maria van Poppel: Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz, Graz 8010, Austria

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Previous studies reported contradictory evidence for associations between perceived greenness and obesity mediated by physical activity, focusing on people’s homes or general greenness. Data are lacking in other environments. We studied the association of perceived greenness at home and at university with BMI and physical activity. An online survey collected data from 601 participants, living and studying in and around the city of Graz, Austria; mean age of 24 years. Greenness was assessed using questions on quality of and access to green space; Body mass index (BMI) was derived from self-reported measures; physical activity and sedentariness were measured using the IPAQ questionnaire (short version). On average, BMI was 22.6 (SD = 3.7), physical activity was 63.3 (SD = 51.7) METh/week, and participants spent 5.8 (SD = 4.0) h/day sitting. Regression analyses revealed no associations between perceived greenness and BMI and physical activity for all environments, but a negative association for sedentariness and perceived greenness at home, but not at university. The results indicate a relation between perceived greenness and sedentariness, which differs for the home-and study environment.

Keywords: neighborhood greenness; environmental psychology; public health; sedentariness; green space; built environment; natural environment; Austria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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