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ithin staircase repeated measures ANOVAs indicated that thereas an effect of time on stair use only in the SW staircase. Post-hocairwise comparisons of means demonstrated a significant decline

n stair use between baseline and Week 2 and between baseline andeek 4. There was also a significant increase in stair use betweeneeks 2 and Week 6. Process evaluation revealed that the stu-

ents were not provided the opportunity to vote on their favoriteainting, and no prizes were awarded.

Conclusions: Solely having residents of a residential hall painturals in stairwells was insufficient for increasing stair use. Aural painting contest may be a viable approach if properly

lanned and implemented.

ttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2012.11.643

41

erceptions of the neighborhood environment vary by socio-emographic and health variables

. Fallon 1, A. Kaczynski 2,∗, J. Lightner 3, C. Der Ananian 4

University of Rhode IslandUniversity of South CarolinaKansas State UniversityArizona State University

Introduction: Neighborhood perceptions are important influ-nces on physical activity (PA). However, little research hasxplored how perceptions of neighborhood features differcross population sub-groups. We examined 1) the associa-ion between perceived neighborhood environment and PA, 2)ocio-demographic and health variables associated with overalleighborhood perceptions, and 3) socio-demographic and healthariables associated with perceptions of specific neighborhoodttributes.

Methods: An online survey assessed age, sex, race, eth-icity, income, education, marital status, and self-reportedeight and weight. The International Physical Activity Question-aire Environment Module (IPAQ-E) measured perceptions ofeighborhood environment and the Leisure-Time Exercise Ques-ionnaire assessed whether participants met PA recommendations75+ min/week vigorous or 150+ min/week moderate/vigorous PA).sing a series of logistic regressions, we examined 1) if people withigher (above the median) neighborhood perceptions were more

ikely to meet PA recommendations, 2) socio-demographic/healthariables associated with perceiving a positive overall neighbor-ood environment, and 3) socio-demographic/health variablesssociated with perceiving a positive neighborhood environmentor each of the IPAQ-E’s 10 specific neighborhood attributes.

Results: Participants (n = 1698) were mostly female (64.3%),hite (88.9%), married/cohabitating (67.3%), college-educated

86.2%), earned at least $50,000/yr (77.5%), with a mean agef 44.3 years. Participants with more positive neighborhooderceptions were more likely to meet PA recommendationsOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.21–1.79). Overall neighborhood percep-ions were more favorable among healthy weight (OR = 1.38,I = 1.05–1.84) and overweight (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.22–2.06) com-ared to obese respondents; among: younger ( < 30) comparedo older (>50) people (OR = 1.33, CI = 1.07–1.67); college-educatedersus less educated persons (OR = 1.60, CI = 1.19–2.15); andon-married/cohabitating versus married/cohabitating individ-als (OR = 1.28, CI = 1.03–1.60). Regarding specific neighborhood

d Medicine in Sport 15 (2012) S265–S327

overweight adults were more likely than obese adults to reportshops (ORhealthy = 1.57, ORoverweight = 1.79) and seeing others active(ORhealthy = 1.47, ORoverweight = 1.53). Non-cohabitating adults weremore likely than cohabitating adults to report transit stops(OR = 1.95) and sidewalks (OR = 1.50), but also more likely to reportcrime (OR = 1.70) and traffic (OR = 1.75). College-educated adultswere more likely than less-educated adults to report access tofree/low cost facilities (OR = 1.78) and safe parks (OR = 1.48), andless likely to report crime (OR = 0.68).

Discussion: These findings reinforce positive associationsbetween perceived neighborhood environment and PA, and showthat overall neighborhood perceptions and perceptions of spe-cific neighborhood attributes vary across population sub-groups.This study provides valuable information to city planners andhealth professionals advocating for and implementing environ-mental changes to increase PA.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2012.11.644

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The ‘choice transition’ in relation to physical activity behavior:Need for a new model from the Global South perspective

E. Lambert 1,∗, T. Kolbe-Alexander 1, C. Draper 1, N. Levitt 2, S.Naidoo 1, E. Tshabangu 1, W. Smit 3, R. Dover 4

1 UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine,Faculty of Health2 Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town3 African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town4 Department of Anthropology, University of Antioquia, Medellin,Colombia

Introduction: Eighty percent of all deaths due to non-communicable diseases occur in lower-and-middle-incomecountries. Socio-economic development, industrialisation andurbanisation, have brought about decreased levels of physi-cal activity (PA). The epidemiological transition involves the“transformation of social, economic and demographic struc-tures” resulting in the co-existence of both infectious andnon-communicable diseases, and competing demands for theprevention and management of both.

Purpose: In this theoretical paper, we introduce ‘choice tran-sition or disability’. The mutability of lifestyle behaviors, and theextent to which they are shaped by, for example, the ‘childhoodmemory of hunger’ have to a large extent, not informed ourapproaches to health promotion.

Methods: We provide specific examples of ‘choice transition ordisability’ in relation to health behaviors from the Global South,where large disparities in wealth further marginalise the disadvan-taged. The data on self-report PA behavior and the environmentalcorrelates to PA behavior were extracted from 2 data sources, aspart of PhD dissertations (Tshabangu and Naidoo). Together, theyrepresent a convenience sample of 517 (men, N = 210, mean age42 + 11 yrs, BMI = 24.6 + 5.0 kg/m2 and women, N = 317, mean age44 + 11 yrs, BMI = 32.7 + 7.8 kg/m2). The 7 core items of the IPAQEnvironmental module were administered including housing andperception of neighborhood crime, destinations, access to trans-port, recreational facilities, pavements, and cycle paths

Results: Typical environmental barriers to PA such as perceptionof crime or traffic have little impact on the incidental or transport-related activity of individuals. Self–reported moderate-to-vigorous