Gary T. Moore

Attributes of Child Care Centers and Outdoor Play Areas Associated with Preschoolers' Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

This study examined characteristics of child care centers associated with preschoolers’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior while in child care (MVPA-C, SB-C), and attributes of outdoor play areas associated with the same behaviors during outdoor time (MVPA-O, SB-O). Participants were 89 children (3 -5 years) recruited from 10 child care centers in Brisbane, Australia. Children’s activity was measured by accelerometer over a 3-day period. Center characteristics and outdoor play area attributes were identified through survey and observation. We found that children were mostly sedentary while in child care. Lower child-staff ratios and using indoor play areas for motor activity were associated with more MVPA-C and less SB-C. Fixed play equipment in outdoor areas was conducive to more MVPA-O and less SB-O. This study suggests the possibility of enhancing preschoolers’ activity levels through changing these attributes. Further research with more centers from diverse settings is needed to test these findings.

The Quality of Life in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Neighborhood Quality as a Major Component of Residential Satisfaction

Quality of life and the quality of the urban environment throughout the world are issues of concern for researchers as well as planners, policy makers, and urban residents. The chapter explores the quality of life (QOL) in six major residential areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as part of a citywide research program examining residential environments. How people assess their lives and life experiences and, in particular, their satisfactions with housing and neighborhoods are examined. Findings indicate the importance of the holistic socio-physical neighborhood as a major contributor to residential satisfaction in medium-rise and high-rise housing in Dhaka. Other findings revealed that specific socio-physical features of the neighborhood and community influence overall life satisfaction more than physical design features of dwellings.

Toward Environment-Behavior Theories of the Middle Range

The purpose of this chapter is to examine several epistemological questions underlying the nature of theory in the environment-behavior (EB) and design fields.1 Among these questions are: What is an EB theory, or, said differently, what are the necessary and sufficient conditions for something to be called a theory? What is the form and scope of different things that purport to be theories dealing with EB relations? What are the similarities and differences between EB theories and design theories, and is it possible to integrate theories linking environment, behavior, and design?2