Table 2

Differences in children's physical activity by reported and objective measures of the neighbourhood environment (models run on all singleton children with reliable activity data (n=6497))

 Counts per minuteModerate to vigorous physical activityActivity adherence (OR and 95% CI)
Model 1Model 2Model 3Model 1Model 2Model 3Model 1Model 2Model 3
Home
Physical environment
 Type of accommodation
  House or bungalow (reference category)
  Flat, studio, bedsit or other1.512.15 3.172.86 1.141.14 
−1.32 to 4.33−0.63 to 4.92 −0.73 to 7.06−1.10 to 6.82 0.94 to 1.380.93 to 1.39 
  Access to gardens−2.77−3.70 −5.75*−5.40*−4.200.71 *0.72*0.69
−6.63 to 1.08−7.48 to 0.09 −10.98 to −0.52−10.68 to −0.11−8.66 to 0.260.52 to 0.970.51 to 1.000.46 to 1.04
 Cars in use
  None (reference category)
  One−4.6**−4.90***−5.05**−7.27***−7.58***−7.68***0.60***0.58***0.53***
−7.33 to −1.87−7.57 to −2.23−8.10 to −2.00−10.88 to −3.66−11.24 to −3.91−11.93 to −3.420.47 to 0.770.45 to 0.750.38 to 0.73
  More than 1−6.88***−7.65***−7.58***−11.29***−11.75***−11.8***0.45***0.43***0.39***
−9.59 to −4.17−10.21 to −5.10−10.96 to −4.20−14.81 to −7.78−15.17 to −8.34−16.42 to −7.180.35 to 0.580.33 to 0.560.28 to 0.56
 Child has a TV in his/her bedroom4.13***3.63***2.01*4.41**4.35**1.981.22**1.24**1.04
2.39 to 5.881.91 to 5.350.37 to 3.651.89 to 6.941.81 to 6.90−0.40 to 4.361.09 to 1.381.09 to 1.400.89 to 1.23
Socioeconomic environment
 Lone mother3.88**3.86**−0.546.35***6.11***−0.411.37**1.37**1.03
1.65 to 6.111.64 to 6.09−2.98 to 1.893.14 to 9.572.91 to 9.31−3.81 to 2.981.13 to 1.661.13 to 1.660.80 to 1.33
 Family size: only child−0.54−0.26 −0.190.36 1.131.18 
−2.59 to 1.52−2.41 to 1.89 −3.23 to 2.85−2.82 to 3.54 0.93 to 1.380.96 to 1.45 
 Housing tenure: own/mortgage−3.03**−3.37***1.18−4.64***−4.74***1.590.77**0.75**1.20
−4.74 to −1.32−5.05 to −1.69−0.98 to 3.25−7.02 to −2.27−7.14 to −2.34−1.49 to 4.680.65 to 0.900.63 to 0.880.95 to 1.51
 Maternal socioeconomic circumstances
  Managerial and professional occupations (reference category)
  Intermediate occupations1.311.31−0.381.090.99−1.251.011.010.90
−0.73 to 3.34−0.73 to 3.35−2.40 to 1.65−1.92 to 4.10−2.04 to 4.02−4.26 to 1.750.84 to 1.200.84 to 1.210.73 to 1.09
  Routine and manual occupations2.07*2.38**−0.832.112.42−2.261.151.17*0.94
0.25 to 3.890.60 to 4.17−2.67 to 1.01−0.55 to 4.76−0.24 to 5.08−5.06 to 0.540.98 to 1.351.00 to 1.370.78 to 1.15
  Never worked and long-term unemployed1.805.74**−2.194.088.01*−5.271.46*1.75**0.83
−2.41 to 6.021.51 to 9.97−6.32 to 1.94−2.03 to 10.181.28 to 14.74−11.89 to 1.351.01 to 2.121.19 to 2.590.51 to 1.35
 Maternal education
  At or above O-level (reference category)
  Below O-level1.97 *3.22**2.58*2.99*4.27**3.40*1.20*1.28**1.30*
0.19 to 3.751.40 to 5.040.36 to 4.800.39 to 5.591.69 to 6.850.06 to 6.751.03 to 1.391.09 to 1.501.03 to 1.65
 Poverty (<60% median income)2.57*3.74***−0.114.58**5.53***−0.411.26**1.32**0.81
0.55 to 4.581.82 to 5.66−2.32 to 2.111.50 to 7.662.55 to 8.51−3.75 to 2.931.06 to 1.491.11 to 1.570.62 to 1.06
Neighbourhood
Physical environment
 Access to play areas0.800.96 0.400.88 0.930.97 
−1.68 to 3.29−1.54 to 3.47 −3.24 to 4.03−2.77 to 4.54 0.73 to 1.180.76 to 1.24 
 Good area to bring up children
  Excellent/good (reference category)
  Average1.411.67−0.303.06*3.13*0.011.131.140.96
−0.66 to 3.49−0.29 to 3.64−2.21 to 1.600.13 to 6.000.28 to 5.99−2.84 to 2.870.96 to 1.330.97 to 1.350.80 to 1.15
  Poor/very poor3.63*4.04*0.697.32*7.17*2.011.251.240.96
0.00 to 7.280.36 to 7.72−3.26 to 4.641.35 to 13.291.27 to 13.07−4.01 to 8.040.93 to 1.690.92 to 1.690.62 to 1.50
 Parental perception of safety
  Very safe/fairly safe (reference category)
  Neither safe nor unsafe0.540.73 2.092.06 1.171.16 
−2.21 to 3.29−2.00 to 3.47 −2.26 to 6.43−2.28 to 6.39 0.91 to 1.490.90 to 1.49 
  Fairly unsafe/very unsafe1.341.33 2.051.46 1.051.05 
−2.42 to 5.10−2.41 to 5.07 −4.14 to 8.24−4.52 to 7.44 0.77 to 1.450.77 to 1.44 
 Urban/rural morphology (objective)
  Urban (>10k; reference category)
  Rural−0.81−0.930.93−2.31−2.13−0.010.850.871.01
−2.70 to 1.08−2.82 to 0.95−1.00 to 2.87−5.12 to 0.51−4.96 to 0.70−2.94 to 2.920.69 to 1.040.71 to 1.070.82 to 1.24
Intraclass correlation (ICC)(%)4.494.444.064.064.093.625.035.605.45
Socioeconomic environment
 Index of Multiple Deprivation (objective)
 England
  Least deprived (reference category)
  Second1.821.780.972.162.051.161.111.101.02
−0.62 to 4.26−0.65 to 4.22−1.49 to 3.43−1.61 to 5.92−1.75 to 5.84−2.66 to 4.980.87 to 1.420.86 to 1.410.79 to 1.32
  Third0.921.130.061.211.47−0.091.091.121.02
−1.51 to 3.35−1.26 to 3.51−2.34 to 2.46−2.41 to 4.84−2.15 to 5.08−3.71 to 3.530.86 to 1.390.88 to 1.430.79 to 1.31
  Fourth3.82*4.26**1.336.43**6.94**2.651.39**1.43**1.12
0.88 to 6.751.36 to 7.17−1.81 to 4.472.06 to 10.792.57 to 11.31−2.01 to 7.321.09 to 1.761.11 to 1.840.83 to 1.51
  Most deprived4.97**6.16***2.657.95**8.94***3.421.67**1.78***1.34
1.23 to 8.712.82 to 9.51−0.90 to 6.192.72 to 13.193.95 to 13.93−1.70 to 8.531.23 to 2.271.31 to 2.430.94 to 1.92
 Wales
  Least deprived (reference category)
  Second−1.68−1.79−0.370.390.232.970.770.760.80
−6.84 to 3.48−6.78 to 3.20−5.60 to 4.87−7.12 to 7.91−6.86 to 7.31−5.37 to 11.310.26 to 1.280.32 to 1.210.31 to 1.29
  Third−0.61−0.40−0.01−2.78−2.22−1.260.63*0.660.69
−7.60 to 6.38−7.45 to 6.66−7.61 to 7.59−13.04 to 7.49−12.68 to 8.24−12.55 to 10.030.28 to 0.980.27 to 1.040.27 to 1.10
  Fourth−1.07−0.68−0.700.801.341.720.991.031.04
−6.47 to 4.32−6.45 to 5.10−7.03 to 5.62−7.40 to 9.01−7.70 to 10.37−8.23 to 11.670.46 to 1.530.46 to 1.600.41 to 1.67
 Most deprived0.440.46−0.882.002.020.800.840.840.79
−4.62 to 5.51−4.65 to 5.56−6.18 to 4.43−5.16 to 9.16−5.29 to 9.32−6.75 to 8.360.27 to 1.410.26 to 1.410.23 to 1.34
 Scotland
  Least deprived (reference category)
  Second2.992.661.794.514.683.821.111.131.15
−1.97 to 7.94−2.47 to 7.78−3.47 to 7.04−3.23 to 12.26−3.36 to 12.71−4.47 to 12.110.53 to 1.690.50 to 1.760.52 to 1.77
  Third−1.17−0.30−0.84−1.78−0.31−1.010.720.830.82
−6.78 to 4.45−6.04 to 5.44−6.73 to 5.05−9.77 to 6.20−8.73 to 8.10−9.60 to 7.580.36 to 1.070.41 to 1.250.38 to 1.25
  Fourth1.822.611.70−1.81−0.40−2.710.891.030.94
−3.99 to 7.62−3.22 to 8.44−3.88 to 7.29−11.49 to 7.88−10.58 to 9.79−12.41 to 6.990.36 to 1.420.40 to 1.670.33 to 1.54
  Most deprived6.195.793.167.287.432.831.101.170.97
−2.74 to 15.13−0.3.47 to 15.05−5.64 to 11.97−4.41 to 18.98−4.58 to 19.45−8.68 to 14.330.28 to 1.910.26 to 2.080.12 to 1.83
 Northern Ireland
  Least deprived (reference category)
  Second−4.56−4.16−4.15−5.30−4.89−4.460.890.931.00
−12.60 to 3.48−12.14 to 3.82−11.98 to 3.69−17.79 to 7.19−17.09 to 7.30−16.49 to 7.570.20 to 1.580.21 to 1.660.23 to 1.77
  Third−2.06−2.09−2.770.12−0.33−1.461.351.281.16
−10.06 to 5.94−9.94 to 5.77−10.37 to 4.84−12.94 to 13.17−12.76 to 12.10−13.93 to 11.000.32 to 2.380.29 to 2.260.24 to 2.09
  Fourth−0.48−0.42−2.28−0.16−0.18−1.600.990.960.82
−7.31 to 6.35−6.97 to 6.14−8.71 to 4.14−11.66 to 11.34−10.91 to 10.55−12.07 to 8.860.24 to 1.730.25 to 1.660.25 to 1.38
  Most deprived−0.64−0.11−3.372.172.95−2.521.111.170.86
−7.68 to 6.40−6.87 to 6.64−9.95 to 3.21−10.00 to 14.33−8.58 to 14.48−13.35 to 8.300.42 to 1.790.49 to 1.840.35 to 1.38
Intraclass correlation (ICC) (%)3.863.683.313.753.743.194.845.275.36
  • For counts per minute and moderate to vigorous physical activity, percentage changes between geometric means of activity associated with varying levels of the covariates of interest are presented. For activity adherence, ORs (95% CI) for children, meeting the recommended guidelines are presented.

  • Model 1 has been adjusted for gender and season.

  • Model 2 has been additionally adjusted for confounders (child's ethnic group and child's BMI).

  • Model 3 has been adjusted for gender, season, child's ethnic group, child's BMI, and the following if significant in models 1 and 2: TV in child's bedroom, access to a garden, car usage, lone motherhood, home ownership, maternal socioeconomic circumstances, maternal education, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) below 60% median poverty indicator, good area to bring up children, urban/rural and Index of Multiple Deprivation.

  • Significance levels: * <0.05, ** <0.01, *** <0.001.

  • “−”: Negative sign indicate decrease in physical activity.

  • BMI, body mass index; TV, television.