The influence of community and the built environment on physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between the built environment and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among African Americans and Whites. METHOD: Independent and control variables were produced from the literature and theory to represent key components of built environment, sense of community, sociodemographic, and health status characteristics. Logistic regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used to measures correlative relationships with physical activity. RESULTS: Built environment elements, especially homeownership, were associated with LTPA, particularly among older African American rural residents. DISCUSSION: Recommendations include transferring the concept of community ownership to residents living in areas where rates of physical activity are low.