Bridging the Built and Social Environments: A Systematic Review of Studies Investigating Influences on Physical Activity.
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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review was to examine articles assessing aspects of the built and social environment simultaneously, and how these environments influence physical activity (PA). A thorough review of studies is needed to identify patterns across studies and gaps for future research and practice. METHODS: To be included, articles needed to contain: (1)self-report or objective measure of PA; (2)a measure of the built environment; (3)a measure of the social environment; and (4)an analysis between built environment, social environment, and PA. A systematic literature search of 4358 articles resulted in 87 articles. RESULTS: Several populations were present within the sample including various age groups and different countries. As previously established, the built environment and social environment were consistently associated with PA; however, mediating factors between these 2 layers were less clear. Further, there was a lack of longitudinal and experimental study designs. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a need for longitudinal and experimental designs with validated and granular measures. As communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, a thorough understanding of how built environment factors enhance or detract from social connectedness and how this reciprocal relationship impacts PA behavior is needed for future policy, environment, and systematic change.
