Perceived Built Environment and Domain-Specific Physical Activity Among Adult Women: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Amman and Budapest
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between perceived built environment characteristics and domain-specific physical activity among adult women living in Amman and Budapest. A cross-sectional comparative study included 800 women aged 18–45 years from Jordan (n = 399) and Hungary (n = 401). Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), while perceived built environment characteristics were evaluated using the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey (PANES). Data were analyzed using Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, Chi-square, and Spearman correlation tests. Women from Budapest reported significantly more favorable built environment perceptions than women from Amman (p < 0.001). Hungarian participants reported higher participation in active transport and leisure-time physical activity, whereas Jordanian participants reported higher occupational and domestic activity. In Amman, transport-related and leisure-time physical activity were significantly associated with more favorable built environment perceptions, whereas in Budapest only leisure-time physical activity showed a significant association. Leisure-time physical activity demonstrated the strongest relationship with total physical activity in both cities (p < 0.001). Weak positive correlations between perceived built environment and total physical activity were observed in Amman (ρ = 0.14, p = 0.005), while moderate positive correlations were found in Budapest (ρ = 0.32, p < 0.001). The findings indicate that the relationship between the built environment and physical activity differs across urban and socio-cultural contexts. In addition to environmental characteristics, social and cultural factors may influence women's opportunities for physical activity. Culturally appropriate, gender-sensitive urban planning and public health strategies may help promote active lifestyles among women.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Adams, Marc A., Lawrence D. Frank, Jasper Schipperijn, Gina Smith, Jeff Chapman, Lasse B. Christiansen, et al. 2014. “International Variation in Neighborhood Walkability, Transit, and Recreation Environments Using Geographic Information Systems.” International Journal of Health Geographics 13: 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-072X-13-43.
Andersen, L. B., Schnohr, P., Schroll, M., & Hein, H. O. (2000). All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work. Archives of Internal Medicine, 160(11), 1621–1628. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.160.11.1621
Ainsworth, Barbara E., William L. Haskell, Stephen D. Herrmann, Nathanael Meckes, David R. Bassett, Catrine Tudor-Locke, et al. 2011. “Compendium of Physical Activities.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 43 (8): 1575–1581.
https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0B013E31821ECE12
Bauman, Adrian E., Rodrigo S. Reis, James F. Sallis, Jonathan C. Wells, Ruth J. F. Loos, and Brian W. Martin. 2012. “Correlates of Physical Activity: Why Are Some People Physically Active and Others Not?” The Lancet 380 (9838): 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60735-1
Beenackers, Marieke A., Carlijn B. M. Kamphuis, Alex Burdorf, Johan P. Mackenbach, and Frank J. van Lenthe. 2011. “Sports Participation, Perceived Neighborhood Safety, and Individual Cognitions: How Do They Interact?” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 8: 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-76.
Budapest Transport Center (BKK). (2023). Budapest Cycling and Pedestrian Development Strategy 2030. Budapest: BKK Centre for Budapest Transport; 2023.
Carroll-Scott, A., Gilstad-Hayden, K., Rosenthal, L., Peters, S. M., McCaslin, C., Joyce, R., & Ickovics, J. R. (2013). Disentangling neighborhood contextual associations with child body mass index, diet, and physical activity: The role of built, socioeconomic, and social environments. Social Science and Medicine, 95, 106–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.04.003
Cerin, Ester, Andrea Nathan, Jelle Van Cauwenberg, David W. Barnett, and Adrian Barnett. 2017. “Neighbourhood Physical Environment and Active Travel.” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 14: 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0463-9
Coackly, J. (2015). sports in society issues and controversies. McGraw Hill Education, 170–210.
Ekenga, C. C., Parks, C. G., Wilson, L. E., & Sandler, D. P. (2015). Leisure-time physical activity in relation to occupational physical activity among women. Preventive Medicine, 74, 93–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.03.003
Eyler, Amy A., Ross C. Brownson, Stephanie J. Bacak, and Richard A. Housemann. 2003. “The Epidemiology of Walking for Physical Activity in the United States.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 35 (9): 1529–1536. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000084622.39122.0C.
Foster, Sarah, and Billie Giles-Corti. 2008. “The Built Environment, Neighborhood Crime and Constrained Physical Activity: An Exploration of Inconsistent Findings.” Preventive Medicine 47 (3): 241–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.03.017.
Guthold, Regina, Gretchen A. Stevens, Leanne M. Riley, and Fiona C. Bull. 2018. “Worldwide Trends in Insufficient Physical Activity.” The Lancet Global Health 6 (10): e1077–e1086. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7
Hong, J., & Chen, C. (2014). The role of the built environment on perceived safety from crime and walking: examining direct and indirect impacts. Transportation, 41(6), 1171–1185. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11116-014-9535-4
Humpel, Nancy, Neville Owen, and Eva Leslie. 2002. “Environmental Factors Associated with Adults’ Physical Activity.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 22 (3): 188–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(01)00426-3
Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI). (2025). How green is Budapest? Find out at HUGSI.green. https://hugsi.green/cities/Budapest
Israel, G. D. (2003). Determining Sample Size 1. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Kaczynski, Andrew T., and Karla A. Henderson. 2007. “Parks and Recreation Environments and Physical Activity.” Leisure Sciences 29 (4): 315–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400701544606
Krause, N., Brand, R. J., Kaplan, G. A., Kauhanen, J., Malla, S., Tuomainen, T.-P., & Salonen, J. T. (2007). Occupational physical activity, energy expenditure and 11-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 33(6), 405–424. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1171
Krenichyn, Kira. 2004. “Women and Physical Activity in Urban Parks: Safety and Social Factors.” Women & Health 40 (1): 27–48. https://doi.org/10.1300/J013v40n01_03.
Lee, I-Min, Eric J. Shiroma, Felipe Lobelo, Pekka Puska, Steven N. Blair, and Peter T. Katzmarzyk. 2012. “Effect of Physical Inactivity on Non-Communicable Diseases.” The Lancet 380 (9838): 219–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61031-9
Mabry, R. M., Winkler, E. A., Reeves, M. M., Eakin, E. G., & Owen, N. (2013). Correlates of Omani adults’ physical inactivity and sitting time. Public Health Nutrition, 16(1), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012002844
Mohajan, H., & Mohajan, H. K. (2017). Munich Personal RePEc Archive Two Criteria for Good Measurements in Research: Validity and Reliability Two Criteria for Good Measurements in Research: Validity and Reliability.
Owen, Neville, Ester Cerin, Eva Leslie, Louwrens du Toit, Neil Coffee, Lawrence D. Frank, et al. 2007. “Neighborhood Walkability and Walking Behavior.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 33 (5): 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2007.07.025
O’Brien, W. J., Shultz, S. P., Firestone, R. T., George, L., & Kruger, R. (2019). Ethnic-specific suggestions for physical activity based on existing recreational physical activity preferences of New Zealand women. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 43(5), 443–450. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12902
Poduval, J., & Poduval, M. (2009). Working Mothers: How Much Working, How Much Mothers, And Where Is The Womanhood? Mens Sana Monographs, 7(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1229.41799
Saadeh, Rami, Ahmad Obaidat, and Mohammed Z. Allouh. 2022. “The Perceived Built Environment and General Physical Activity: An Exploratory Study in Jordan.” Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 4: 962919. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2022.962919.
Saelens, Brian E., and Susan L. Handy. 2008. “Built Environment Correlates of Walking.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 40: S550–S566. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31817c67a4
Sallis, James F., Myron F. Floyd, Daniel A. Rodríguez, and Brian E. Saelens. 2012. “Built Environments and Physical Activity.” Circulation 125 (5): 729–737. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.969022
Sallis, James F., Ester Cerin, Terry L. Conway, Marc A. Adams, Lawrence D. Frank, Michael Pratt, et al. 2016. “Physical Activity in Relation to Urban Environments.” The Lancet 387 (10034): 2207–2217. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30066-4
Stark, Jessica, and Michaela Meschik. 2018. “Women’s Everyday Mobility: Frightening Situations and Their Impacts on Travel Behaviour.” Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 54: 311–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.02.017.
Sugiyama, Takemi, Ester Cerin, Neville Owen, Ayo L. Oyeyemi, Terry L. Conway, David Van Dyck, et al. 2014. “Perceived Neighbourhood Environmental Attributes Associated with Adults’ Recreational Walking.” Health & Place 28: 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.03.003.
Van Dyck, Delfien, Ester Cerin, Terry L. Conway, Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij, Neville Owen, Jacqueline Kerr, et al. 2013. “Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Leisure-Time Physical Activity.” American Journal of Health Promotion 27 (5): 312–320. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.120905-QUAN-430
Teixeira, A., Gabriel, R., Martinho, J., Oliveira, I., Santos, M., Pinto, G., & Moreira, H. (2023). Distance to Natural Environments, Physical Activity, Sleep, and Body Composition in Women: An Exploratory Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043647
Thomsen, L. B., Schmidt, E. B., Dalgas, B. W., & Elmose-Østerlund, K. (2025). The association between the frequency of physical activity and social background within and across home, occupational, transportation and leisure domains. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1609485. https://doi.org/10.3389/FSPOR.2025.1609485/FULL
World Health Organization. 2020. Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization.