A multilevel analysis of the association between social networks and support on leisure time physical activity: evidence from 40 disadvantaged areas in London

摘要

There has been extensive conceptual and empirical work on the associations between socialrelations and health in recent years. However, the specific pathways through which socialinteractions impact on health have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this paper is toestimate associations between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and social networks andsupport. Using data from a cross-sectional household survey in 40 disadvantaged LowerSuper Output Areas in London, we applied a multilevel model to investigate psychosocialand environmental determinants of physical activity in these populations. Our findingspresent a strong case for the influence of individual-level social networks on the level ofLTPA, although the associations between the types of social support and LTPA wereinsignificant. We also found that crime rate was an important area-level correlates of LTPA.