Associations Between Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Physical Activity in the United States, National Health Interview Survey, 2017

• Published in: Preventing chronic disease 2019-12, Vol.16, p.E163-E163, Article 190085
• Main Authors: Quinn, Tyler D, Wu, Fan, Mody, Dillon, Bushover, Brady, Mendez, Dara D, Schiff, Mary, Fabio, Anthony
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Research
• ISSN: 1545-1151; 1545-1151
• DOI: 10.5888/pcd16.190085

Individual social support is positively related to physical activity participation. However, less is known about how neighborhood-level social structures relate to physical activity participation. We analyzed 2017 National Health Interview Survey data for adult participants who completed all questions on physical activity and neighborhood cohesion (N = 23,006). Each cohesion question was binary coded (cohesion or not) and used as a predictor individually and for a composite score measuring total social cohesion. We used linear regression to estimate minutes of moderate aerobic activity, and we used logistic regression to estimate the odds of meeting aerobic guidelines (≥150 min/wk), strength guidelines (≥2 d/wk of muscle strengthening exercises), or both guidelines, predicted by the 5 definitions of cohesion (composite cohesion and the 4 questions separately). Models were adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, family-income-to-poverty ratio, education, nativity, language, and neighborhood tenure. Respondents who reported having more social cohesion had 45.0 more minutes of aerobic activity and increased odds of meeting aerobic, strength, and combined guidelines (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, OR = 1.13, and OR = 1.14, respectively; P < .01 for all). Reporting having availability of help when needed, neighbors to count on, trustworthy neighbors, and close-knit neighbors all resulted in increased odds of meeting aerobic guidelines but not increased odds for meeting strength guidelines in the latter 3 components or combined guidelines for the latter 2 components. Having neighborhood social cohesion or select individual components of neighborhood cohesion are positively related to meeting aerobic, strength, and combined guidelines.