Built Environment Physical Activity and Quality of Life: Lessons from Bogota Colombia

Background: Despite the importance of Built Environment (BE) characteristics and physical activity (PA) on individual wellbeing, studies exploring the association between health-related quality of life with (HR-QOL) with PA and BE characteristics are very limited especially in developing countries. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1315 adults from Bogotá, PA was measured using an adapted version of IPAQ and validated with accelerometers. BE characteristics were obtained using GIS and included variables from the dimensions of density, diversity, design, and distance to public transportation. Hierarchical modeling was used in the analysis. Results: Proportion of park land (0R 1.81), slope of the environment (OR .67) and perceptions of safety (OR 1.43) were significantly associated with leisure time physical activity. Meeting physical activity recommendations for leisure time (p =.001), biking for transportation ( p=0.001) and participating in the Ciclovia (a program were main streets are closed on holidays for cyclists and pedestrians during 5 hours) (p=0.001) were positively associated with HR-QOL. Likewise, a percentage of residential houses higher than 46% ( p=0.02), an entropy (mix of the land) between 0.4-0.6 ( p=0.001) and parks score ( p=0.03) were positively associated with HR-QOL. Conclusions: In Bogotá, PA and BE characteristics are associated with PA and HR-QOL. These findings suggest that PA programs and BE factors should be taken into consideration when guiding policies and planning and implementing programs aimed at improving the well being of the citizens of Bogotá.