Browsing by Author "Nichani, Vikram"

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    Associations between neighbourhood built characteristics and sedentary behaviours among Canadian men and women: Findings from Alberta’s tomorrow project
    (Elsevier, 2021-06-03) Nichani, Vikram; Turley, Liam; Vena, Jennifer E.; McCormack, Gavin R.
    Evidence of associations between neighbourhood built characteristics and sedentary behaviours is mixed. The study aim was to investigate the associations between objectively-derived neighbourhood built characteristics and self-reported sedentary behaviours among Canadian men and women. This study sourced survey data from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project (2008; n=14,785), in which sitting and motor vehicle travel times during the last 7 days was measured. Geographic Information System was used to calculate neighbourhood built characteristics within a 400m buffer of participant’s home and a walkability score was estimated. To estimate the associations between neighbourhood characteristics and sedentary behaviours, covariate-adjusted generalized linear regression models were used. Walkability, 3-way intersections, and population count were positively associated with sitting time. Business destinations and greenness were negatively associated with sitting time. Walkability, 3-way, and 4-way intersections were negatively associated with motor vehicle travel time. Sex-specific associations between neighbourhood characteristics and sedentary behaviour were found. Among men, business destinations were negatively associated with sitting time, and 3-way intersections, population count, and walkability were negatively associated with motor vehicle travel time. Among women, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was negatively associated with sitting time. Interventions to reduce sedentary behaviours may need to target neighbourhoods that have built characteristics which might support these behaviours. More research is needed to disentangle the complex relationships between different neighbourhood built characteristics and specific types of sedentary behaviour.
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    Associations between the neighbourhood characteristics and body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio: findings from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
    (Elsevier, 2020-05-29) Nichani, Vikram; Turley, Liam; Vena, Jennifer E.; McCormack, Gavin R.
    This study estimated the associations between neighbourhood characteristics and self-reported body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) risk categories among Canadian men and women. Using data from the Alberta’s Tomorrow Project (n=14,550), we estimated 3- and 4-way intersections, business destinations, population count, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) within a 400m radius of participant's home. Intersections, business destinations, and population count (z-scores) were summed to create a walkability score. Four-way intersections and walkability were negatively associated with overweight and obesity. Walkability was negatively associated with obesity. NDVI was negatively associated with high-risk WHR and population count and walkability positively associated with high-risk WHR. Among men, population count and walkability were negatively associated with obesity, and business destinations and walkability were negatively associated with overweight and obesity. Among women, NDVI was negatively associated with overweight (including obesity), obesity, and high-risk WC. Interventions promoting healthy weight could incorporate strategies that take into consideration local built environment characteristics.
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    Associations between the traditional and novel neighbourhood built environment metrics and weight status among Canadian men and women.
    (Springer : Canadian Public Health Association, 2020-06-08) Nichani, Vikram; Koohsari, Mohammad Javad; Oka, Koichiro; Nakaya, Tomoki; Shibata, Ai; Ishii, Kaori; Yasunaga, Akitomo; Turley, Liam; McCormack, Gavin R.
    Objectives: Neighbourhood characteristics can impact the health of residents. This study investigated associations between objectively-derived neighbourhood characteristics, including novel space syntax metrics, and self-reported body mass index (BMI) among Canadian men and women. Methods: Our study included survey data collected from a random cross-section of adults residing in Calgary, Alberta (n=1,718). The survey, conducted in 2007/2008, captured participant’s sociodemographic characteristics, health, and weight status (BMI). Participant’s household postal codes were geocoded and 1600m lined-based network buffers estimated. Using Geographical Information System, we estimated neighbourhood characteristics within each buffer including business destination density, street intersection density, sidewalk length, and population density. Using space syntax, we estimated street integration and walkability (street integration plus population density) within each buffer. Using adjusted regression models, we estimated associations between neighbourhood characteristics and BMI (continuous) and BMI categories (healthy weight versus overweight including obese). Gender-stratified analysis was also performed. Results: Business destination density was negatively associated with BMI and the odds of being overweight. Among men, street intersection density and sidewalk length were negatively associated with BMI and street intersection density, business destination density, street integration, and space syntax walkability were negatively associated with odds of being overweight. Among women, business destination density was negatively associated with BMI. Conclusion: Urban planning policies that impact neighbourhood design has the potential to influence weight among adults living in urban Canadian settings. Some characteristics may have a differential association with weight among men and women and should be considered in urban planning and in neighbourhood-focussed public health interventions.
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    A population-based study of the associations between neighbourhood walkability and different types of physical activity in Canadian men and women
    (2019-11-05) Nichani, Vikram; Vena, Jennifer E.; Friedenreich, Christine Marthe; Christie, Chelsea; McCormack, Gavin R.
    Few Canadian studies have examined whether or not associations between neighbourhood walkability and physical activity differ by sex. We estimated associations between perceived neighbourhood walkability and physical activity among Canadian men and women. This study included cross-sectional survey data from participants in ‘Alberta’s Tomorrow Project’ (Canada; n=14,078), a longitudinal cohort study. The survey included socio-demographic items as well as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the abbreviated Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS-A), which captured perceived neighbourhood built characteristics. We computed subscale and overall walkability scores from NEWS-A responses. Covariate-adjusted generalized linear models estimated the associations of participation (≥10 minutes/week) and minutes of different types of physical activity, including transportation walking (TW), leisure walking (LW), moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA), and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) with walkability scores. Walkability was positively associated with participation in TW, LW, MPA and VPA and minutes of TW, LW, and VPA. Among men, a negative association was found between street connectivity and VPA participation. Additionally, crime safety was negatively associated with VPA minutes among men. Among women, pedestrian infrastructure was positively associated with LW participation and overall walkability was positively associated with VPA minutes. Notably, overall walkability was positively associated with LW participation among men and women. Different perceived neighbourhood walkability characteristics might be associated with participation and time spent in different types of physical activity among men and women living in Alberta. Interventions designed to modify perceptions of neighbourhood walkability might influence initiation or maintenance of different types of physical activity.