G. MacLellan
ABSTRACT
At least 60% of the world's population is not sufficiently active to benefit their health. This can be attributed in part to reduced participation in active leisure pursuits, and an increase in sedentary behavior in the workplace. Another key factor is that walking has declined in recent decades and this is thought to be due to an increase in car use and layout of urban environments which are dominated by cars and so do not appeal to pedestrians [4]. Other aspects of the local environment such as availability of parks and other recreation facilities, land use and transport system can also have a discouraging or alternatively an encouraging influence on walking and other forms of physical activity [6].
As local environment and travel patterns strongly influence physical activity, location context can be a valuable additional source of information when analyzing activity levels and activity patterns. The system described in this paper measures concurrent physical activity and location (GPS) and uses this data to produce measures relating to the following two areas:
• Physical activity at different locations
• Travel (walking and motorized transport)
Information produced is designed to identify:
• Changes in activity levels (general and within certain locations)
• Scope for increased activity in particular settings
• Amount, frequency and intensity of walking and its contribution to travel
• Potential barriers to physical activity.
This can inform individuals of their physical activity levels and provide quantifiable outcomes on the impact of interventions to increase physical activity.
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Index Terms
- The application of a physical activity and location measurement system to public health interventions to promote physical activity
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