Dataset Information

Use of global positioning systems to study physical activity and the environment: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Context

The GPS represents an innovative way to objectively assess the spatial locations of physical activity behavior. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the capability of GPS to collect high-quality data on the location of activities in research on the relationship between physical activity and the environment.

Evidence acquisition

Published and unpublished articles identified from seven electronic databases, reference lists, bibliographies, and websites up to March 2010 were systematically searched for, appraised, and analyzed in summer 2010. Included studies used GPS to measure the spatial locations of physical activity and some form of environmental analysis related to the GPS data. The capability of GPS was expressed in terms of data quality, which in turn was defined as the proportion of GPS data lost in each study.

Evidence synthesis

24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data loss was positively correlated with the measurement period for which participants were asked to wear the GPS device (r=0.81, p<0.001). Major reasons for data loss included signal drop-outs, loss of device battery power, and poor adherence of participants to measurement protocols. Data loss did not differ significantly between children and adults or by study sample size, year of publication, or GPS device manufacturer.

Conclusions

GPS is a promising tool for improving understanding of the spatial context of physical activity. The current findings suggest that the choice of an appropriate device and efforts to maximize participant adherence are key to improving data quality, especially over longer study periods.

SUBMITTER: Krenn PJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3821057 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Use of global positioning systems to study physical activity and the environment: a systematic review.

Krenn Patricia J PJ Titze Sylvia S Oja Pekka P Jones Andrew A Ogilvie David D

American journal of preventive medicine 20111101 5

<h4>Context</h4>The GPS represents an innovative way to objectively assess the spatial locations of physical activity behavior. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the capability of GPS to collect high-quality data on the location of activities in research on the relationship between physical activity and the environment.<h4>Evidence acquisition</h4>Published and unpublished articles identified from seven electronic databases, reference lists, bibliographies, and websites up to Ma ...[more]

PMID: 22011423

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundGlobal positioning systems (GPS) imbedded with accelerometer systems (AS) are used in rugby union (RU) to collect information on absolute and relative distances, distances in different speed zones, high-speed running (HSR) distances, repeated high-intensity efforts (RHIE) and collisions and impacts. This information can be used to monitor match play which can then be used to plan training sessions. The objective of this review was to conduct a systematic review of studies which have reported the use of GPS and AS.MethodsA systematic review of the use of GPS and AS in both age-grade and senior rugby was conducted. The authors systematically searched electronic databases from January 2010 until March 2020. Keywords included rugby union, GPS, global position* and microtechnology.ResultsA total of 51 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. There was a total of 34 studies utilising GPS and AS in senior RU players (mean ± SD; age 26.2 ± 1.9 years; height 185.7 ± 2.6 cm; mass 101.3 ± 4.2 kg) and 17 studies in age-grade RU players (mean ± SD; age 17.6 ± 1.5 years; height 182.1 ± 3.3 cm; mass 87.1 ± 8.6 kg). The results of this review highlighted that there are differences between backs and forwards and within these positions in these groups during both match play and training sessions. The backs covered greater total absolute, relative and HSR distance compared to forwards. Forwards are involved in more collisions and impacts than backs. When investigating the most intense periods of match play, studies in this review highlighted that the demands during these periods outweigh the average demands of the game. It was proposed that a rolling average over different time epochs is the best way to assess this and ensure that the most intense periods of play are assessed and monitored.ConclusionsThe information highlighted in this review can be used to help coaches assess performances in match play, allow them to plan appropriate training sessions and monitor training load.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Investigating the association of the neighborhood social environment on physical activity is complex. A systematic scoping review was performed to (1) provide an inventory of studies assessing the influence of the neighborhood social environment on physical activity since 2006; (2) describe methodologies employed; and (3) formulate recommendations for the field. METHODS:Two databases were searched using terms related to 'physical activity,' 'neighborhood,' and 'social environment' in January 2017. Eligibility criteria included: 1) physical activity as an outcome; 2) neighborhood social environment as a predictor; 3) healthy population (without diagnosed clinical condition or special population); 4) observational or experimental design. Of 1352 studies identified, 181 were included. Textual data relevant to the social environment measurement and analysis were extracted from each article into qualitative software (MAXQDA) and coded to identify social environmental constructs, measurement methods, level of measurement (individual vs. aggregated to neighborhood), and whether authors explicitly recognized the construct as the social environment. The following measures were generated for each construct: number of unique measurements; % of times measured at an aggregate level; % of times authors referred to the construct as the social environment. Social environmental constructs were then grouped into larger descriptive dimensions. RESULTS/FINDINGS:Fifty-nine social environmental constructs were identified and grouped into 9 dimensions: Crime & Safety (n?=?133 studies; included in 73% of studies); Economic & Social Disadvantage (n?=?55, 33%); Social Cohesion & Capital (n?=?47, 26%); Social Relationships (n?=?22, 12%); Social Environment (n?=?16, 9%); Disorder & Incivilities (n?=?15, 8%); Sense of Place/Belonging (n?=?8, 4%); Discrimination/Segregation (n?=?3, 2%); Civic Participation & Engagement (n?=?2, 1%). Across all articles, the social environment was measured using 176 different methods, was measured at an aggregate-level 38% of the time, and referred to as the social environment 23% of the time. CONCLUSIONS:Inconsistent terminology, definitions, and measurement of the social environment and the lack of explicit language identifying constructs as the social environment make it challenging to compare results across studies and draw conclusions. Improvements are needed to increase our understanding of social environmental correlates and/or determinants of physical activity and facilitate cross-disciplinary conversations necessary to effectively intervene to promote physical activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION:PROSPERO CRD42017059580.

Project description:BACKGROUND: In the past decade, various reviews described the relationship between the physical environment and different physical activity (PA) domains. Yet, the majority of the current review evidence relies on North American/Australian studies, while only a small proportion of findings refer to European studies. Given some clear environmental differences across continents, this raises questions about the applicability of those results in European settings. This systematic review aimed at summarizing Europe-specific evidence on the relationship between the physical environment and different PA domains in adults. METHODS: Seventy eligible papers were identified through systematic searches across six electronic databases. Included papers were observational studies assessing the relationship between several aspects of the physical environment and PA in European adults (18-65y). Summary scores were calculated to express the strength of the relationship between each environmental factor and different PA domains. RESULTS: Convincing evidence on positive relationships with several PA domains was found for following environmental factors: walkability, access to shops/services/work and the composite factor environmental quality. Convincing evidence considering urbanization degree showed contradictory results, dependent on the observed PA domain. Transportation PA was more frequently related to the physical environment than recreational PA. Possible evidence for a positive relationship with transportation PA emerged for walking/cycling facilities, while a negative relationship was found for hilliness. Some environmental factors, such as access to recreational facilities, aesthetics, traffic- and crime-related safety were unrelated to different PA domains in Europe. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, findings from this review of European studies are in accordance with results from North American/Australian reviews and may contribute to a generalization of the relationship between the physical environment and PA. Nevertheless, the lack of associations found regarding access to recreational facilities, aesthetics and different forms of safety are likely to be Europe-specific findings and need to be considered when appropriate interventions are developed. More research assessing domain-specific relationships with several understudied environmental attributes (e.g., residential density) is needed.

Project description:BackgroundGeographic access to food may affect dietary choices and health outcomes, but the strength and direction of associations may depend on the operationalization of exposure measures. We aimed to systematically review the literature on up-to-date evidence on the association between food environment exposures based on Global Positioning System (GPS) and diet-related and cardiometabolic health outcomes.MethodsThe databases PubMed, Embase.com, APA PsycInfo (via Ebsco), Cinahl (via Ebsco), the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (via ProQuest) were searched from inception to October 31, 2022. We included studies that measured the activity space through GPS tracking data to identify exposure to food outlets and assessed associations with either diet-related or cardiometabolic health outcomes. Quality assessment was evaluated using the criteria from a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cross-sectional studies. We additionally used four items from a quality assessment tool to specifically assess the quality of GPS measurements.ResultsOf 2949 studies retrieved, 14 studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. They were heterogeneous and represent inconsistent evidence. Yet, three studies found associations between food outlets and food purchases, for example, more exposure to junk food outlets was associated with higher odds of junk food purchases. Two studies found associations between greater exposure to fast food outlets and higher fast food consumption and out of three studies that investigated food environment in relation to metabolic outcomes, two studies found that higher exposure to an unhealthy food environment was associated with higher odds of being overweight.ConclusionsThe current and limited evidence base does not provide strong evidence for consistent associations of GPS-based exposures of the food environment with diet-related and cardiometabolic health outcomes.

Project description:Insufficient physical activity (PA) is the fourth major risk factor for many non-communicable diseases and premature mortality worldwide. Features of the built environment (BE) play a considerable role in determining population PA behaviors. The majority of evidence for PA-BE relationships comes from high-income countries and may not be generalizable to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aim to systematically review the literature and assess the associations between perceived and/or objective BE characteristics and PA domains in LMICs. This review adopted a systematic search strategy for English language articles published between January 2000 and June 2019 from four electronic databases-Medline, Embase, Web of Science and PubMed-adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies addressing the associations between self-reported and/or objective BE and PA were only included if they were conducted in LMICs, according to the World Bank classification list. Articles investigating PA-BE relationships across any age groups were included, and all study designs were eligible, except for qualitative studies and reviews. Thirty-three studies were included for evidence synthesis. Cross-sectional studies were the most prevailing study design (97%), revealing a notable gap in longitudinal PA-BE research in LMICs. A majority of the BE factors were not associated with different PA domains while others (e.g., density, proximity to services, aesthetics) exhibited an inconsistent association. Land-use mix diversity was positively associated with transport PA and the presence of recreation facilities resulted in an increase in PA during leisure-time. Increased safety from crime at night consistently increased total PA and walking levels. Research exploring the associations between BE attributes and PA behaviors in LMICs appears to be limited and is primarily cross-sectional. Longitudinal research studies with objective measures are needed for inferring well-grounded PA-BE causal relationships and informing the design of evidence-based environmental interventions for increasing PA levels in LMICs.

Dataset Information

Use of global positioning systems to study physical activity and the environment: a systematic review.

Context

Evidence acquisition

Evidence synthesis

Conclusions

Publications

Use of global positioning systems to study physical activity and the environment: a systematic review.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets