The effects of meteorological conditions and daylight on nature-based recreational physical activity in England

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordMeteorological conditions affect people’s outdoor physical activity. However, we know of no previous research into how these conditions affect physical activity in different types of natural environments – key settings for recreational physical activity, but ones which are particularly impacted by meteorological conditions. Using responses from four waves (2009–2013) of a survey of leisure visits to natural environments in England (n = 47,613), visit dates and locations were ascribed estimates of energy expenditure (MET-minutes) and assigned meteorological data. We explored relationships between MET-minutes in natural environments (in particular, parks, woodlands, inland waters, and coasts) and the hourly maxima of air temperature and wind speed, levels of rainfall, and daylight hours using generalised additive models. Overall, we found a positive linear relationship between MET-minutes and air temperature; a negative linear relationship with wind speed; no relation with categories of rainfall; and a positive, but non-linear relationship with daylight hours. These same trends were observed for park-based energy expenditure, but differed for visits to other natural environments: only daylight hours were related to energy expenditure at woodlands; wind speed and daylight hours affected energy expenditure at inland waters; and only air temperature was related to energy expenditure at coasts. Natural environments support recreational physical activity under a range of meteorological conditions. However, distinct conditions do differentially affect the amount of energy expenditure accumulated in a range of natural environments. The findings have implications for reducing commonly-reported meteorological barriers to both recreational physical activity and visiting natural environments for leisure, and begin to indicate how recreational energy expenditure in these environments could be affected by future climate change.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)European Commissio

Linking the oceans to public health: current efforts and future directions

This is the final version of the article. Available from BioMed Central via the DOI in this recordWe review the major linkages between the oceans and public health, focusing on exposures and potential health effects due to anthropogenic and natural factors including: harmful algal blooms, microbes, and chemical pollutants in the oceans; consumption of seafood; and flooding events. We summarize briefly the current state of knowledge about public health effects and their economic consequences; and we discuss priorities for future research.We find that:* There are numerous connections between the oceans, human activities, and human health that result in both positive and negative exposures and health effects (risks and benefits); and the study of these connections comprises a new interdisciplinary area, "oceans and human health."* The state of present knowledge about the linkages between oceans and public health varies. Some risks, such as the acute health effects caused by toxins associated with shellfish poisoning and red tide, are relatively well understood. Other risks, such as those posed by chronic exposure to many anthropogenic chemicals, pathogens, and naturally occurring toxins in coastal waters, are less well quantified. Even where there is a good understanding of the mechanism for health effects, good epidemiological data are often lacking. Solid data on economic and social consequences of these linkages are also lacking in most cases.* The design of management measures to address these risks must take into account the complexities of human response to warnings and other guidance, and the economic tradeoffs among different risks and benefits. Future research in oceans and human health to address public health risks associated with marine pathogens and toxins, and with marine dimensions of global change, should include epidemiological, behavioral, and economic components to ensure that resulting management measures incorporate effective economic and risk/benefit tradeoffs.Funding was provided in part by the NSF-NIEHS Oceans Centers at Woods Hole, University of Hawaii, University of Miami, and University of Washington, and the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Centers of Excellent in Charleston, Seattle and Milwaukee, the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the WHOI Marine Policy Center. Grant numbers are: NIEHS P50 ES012742 and NSF OCE-043072 (HLKP, RJG, PH); NSF OCE-0432368 and NIEHS P50 ES12736 (LEF); NIEHS P50 ES012762 and NSF OCE-0434087 (EMF, AT, LRY); NSF OCE04-32479 and NIEHS P50 ES012740 (BAW

Urban nature and physical activity: Investigating associations using self-reported and accelerometer data and the role of household income

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this recordBackground Physical inactivity is a major public health concern. Natural, or semi-natural, environments may encourage physical activity, but the influences of socio-economic factors have been under-researched. Methods We explored the associations between meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines and both neighbourhood green (area coverage) and blue (freshwater coverage and coastal proximity) environments for urban adults using data from the Health Survey for England [HSE] (2008/2012). We considered different domains of self-reported PA: walking (n = 18,391), sports and other exercise (n = 18,438), non-recreational (domestic/gardening/occupational; n = 18,446) and all three domains combined (n = 18,447); as well as accelerometer-derived PA data using a subsample (n = 1,774). Relationships were stratified by equivalised household income as an indicator of socio-economic status. Results After adjusting for covariates, living 20 km, adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) = 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15–1.39) but unrelated to sports and exercise. Greater neighbourhood greenspace, however, was only associated with significantly higher odds of meeting guidelines through non-recreational PA alone (e.g. 80–100% vs. <20% ORadj = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.12–1.56). Although associations were most consistent in the lowest income quintile, income-related results were mixed. Relationships were not replicated in the smaller accelerometry subsample. Conclusion Our self-report findings for the differing domains of PA as a function of neighbourhood green and blue space broadly replicated previous research, yet the reasons for the observed differences between PA domains and environments remain unclear. We did not observe any associations between environmental variables and accelerometer-measured PA; further research with larger samples is needed.European CommissionNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR

Redesigning walking brochures using behaviour change theory: implications for walking intentions in natural environments

Summary Natural environments can be used to promote health through facilitating recreational walking. However, efforts to encourage this often neglect messages identified in psychological research that are effective at influencing intentions to walk. This is despite the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence stating that promotional efforts should utilize theoretical frameworks of behaviour change and be targeted towards less active adults. As an illustrative example, this experiment compared a prototypical recreational walking brochure with an “enhanced” version including such persuasive messages on people’s intentions to walk for recreation in natural environments. The enhanced brochure heightened intentions for inexperienced recreational walkers through our hypothesized mechanisms, but appeared to dissuade already-experienced walkers. Optimal messaging strategies in recreational walking brochures require tailoring to more and less active readerships. Guidelines are provided for authors of recreational walking brochures, though the principles and techniques could easily be extended to other means of outdoor walking promotion.</jats:p

A data-centric approach to generative modelling for 3D-printed steel.

The emergence of additive manufacture (AM) for metallic material enables components of near arbitrary complexity to be produced. This has potential to disrupt traditional engineering approaches. However, metallic AM components exhibit greater levels of variation in their geometric and mechanical properties compared to standard components, which is not yet well understood. This uncertainty poses a fundamental barrier to potential users of the material, since extensive post-manufacture testing is currently required to ensure safety standards are met. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines probabilistic mechanics and uncertainty quantification, we demonstrate that intrinsic variation in AM steel can be well described by a generative statistical model that enables the quality of a design to be predicted before manufacture. Specifically, the geometric variation in the material can be described by an anisotropic spatial random field with oscillatory covariance structure, and the mechanical behaviour by a stochastic anisotropic elasto-plastic material model. The fitted generative model is validated on a held-out experimental dataset and our results underscore the need to combine both statistical and physics-based modelling in the characterization of new AM steel products

A data-centric approach to generative modelling for 3D-printed steel.

The emergence of additive manufacture (AM) for metallic material enables components of near arbitrary complexity to be produced. This has potential to disrupt traditional engineering approaches. However, metallic AM components exhibit greater levels of variation in their geometric and mechanical properties compared to standard components, which is not yet well understood. This uncertainty poses a fundamental barrier to potential users of the material, since extensive post-manufacture testing is currently required to ensure safety standards are met. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines probabilistic mechanics and uncertainty quantification, we demonstrate that intrinsic variation in AM steel can be well described by a generative statistical model that enables the quality of a design to be predicted before manufacture. Specifically, the geometric variation in the material can be described by an anisotropic spatial random field with oscillatory covariance structure, and the mechanical behaviour by a stochastic anisotropic elasto-plastic material model. The fitted generative model is validated on a held-out experimental dataset and our results underscore the need to combine both statistical and physics-based modelling in the characterization of new AM steel products

Recreational visits to marine and coastal environments in England: Where, what, who, why, and when?

Health and economic benefits may accrue from marine and coastal recreation. In England, few national-level descriptive analyses exist which examine predictors of recreation in these environments. Data from seven waves (2009–2016) of a representative survey of the English population (n = 326,756) were analysed to investigate how many recreational visits were made annually to coastal environments in England, which activities were undertaken on these visits, and which demographic, motivational, temporal, and regional factors predict them. Inland environments are presented for comparison. Approximately 271 million recreational visits were made to coastal environments in England annually, the majority involving land-based activities such as walking. Separately, there were around 59 million instances of water-based recreation undertaken on recreational visits (e.g. swimming, water sports). Visits to the coast involving walking were undertaken by a wide spectrum of the population: compared to woodland walks, for instance, coastal walks were more likely to be made by females, older adults, and individuals from lower socioeconomic classifications, suggesting the coast may support reducing activity inequalities. Motivational and temporal variables showed distinct patterns between visits to coastal and inland comparator environments. Regional variations existed too with more visits to coastal environments made by people living in the south-west and north-east compared to London, where more visits were made to urban open spaces. The results provide a reference for current patterns of coastal recreation in England, and could be considered when making policy-level decisions with regard to coastal accessibility and marine plans. Implications for future public health and marine plans are discussed

BlueHealth: a study programme protocol for mapping and quantifying the potential benefits to public health and well-being from Europe's blue spaces

This is the final version of the article. Available from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this record.INTRODUCTION: Proximity and access to water have long been central to human culture and accordingly deliver countless societal benefits. Over 200 million people live on Europe's coastline, and aquatic environments are the top recreational destination in the region. In terms of public health, interactions with 'blue space' (eg, coasts, rivers, lakes) are often considered solely in terms of risk (eg, drowning, microbial pollution). Exposure to blue space can, however, promote health and well-being and prevent disease, although underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. AIMS AND METHODS: The BlueHealth project aims to understand the relationships between exposure to blue space and health and well-being, to map and quantify the public health impacts of changes to both natural blue spaces and associated urban infrastructure in Europe, and to provide evidence-based information to policymakers on how to maximise health benefits associated with interventions in and around aquatic environments. To achieve these aims, an evidence base will be created through systematic reviews, analyses of secondary data sets and analyses of new data collected through a bespoke international survey and a wide range of community-level interventions. We will also explore how to deliver the benefits associated with blue spaces to those without direct access through the use of virtual reality. Scenarios will be developed that allow the evaluation of health impacts in plausible future societal contexts and changing environments. BlueHealth will develop key inputs into policymaking and land/water-use planning towards more salutogenic and sustainable uses of blue space, particularly in urban areas. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Throughout the BlueHealth project, ethics review and approval are obtained for all relevant aspects of the study by the local ethics committees prior to any work being initiated and an ethics expert has been appointed to the project advisory board. So far, ethical approval has been obtained for the BlueHealth International Survey and for community-level interventions taking place in Spain, Italy and the UK. Engagement of stakeholders, including the public, involves citizens in many aspects of the project. Results of all individual studies within the BlueHealth project will be published with open access. After full anonymisation and application of any measures necessary to prevent disclosure, data generated in the project will be deposited into open data repositories of the partner institutions, in line with a formal data management plan. Other knowledge and tools developed in the project will be made available via the project website (www.bluehealth2020.eu). Project results will ultimately provide key inputs to planning and policy relating to blue space, further stimulating the integration of environmental and health considerations into decision-making, such that blue infrastructure is developed across Europe with both public health and the environment in mind.This work was supported by funding received from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 666773

Urban green space and mental health among people living alone: The mediating roles of relational and collective restoration in an 18-country sample

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. Rates of living alone, especially in more urbanised areas, are increasing across many industrialised countries, with associated increases in feelings of loneliness and poorer mental health. Recent studies have suggested that access to nature (e.g. parks and green spaces) can reduce the stressors associated with loneliness, partly through providing opportunities to nurture personal relationships (relational restoration) and engage in normative community activities (collective restoration). Such associations might vary across different household compositions and socio-demographic or geographical characteristics, but these have not been thoroughly tested. Using data collected across 18 countries/territories in 2017-2018, we grouped urban respondents into those living alone (n = 2062) and those living with a partner (n = 6218). Using multigroup path modelling, we tested whether the associations between neighbourhood greenspace coverage (1-km-buffer from home) and mental health are sequentially mediated by: (a) visits to greenspace; and subsequently (b) relationship and/or community satisfaction, as operationalisations of relational and collective restoration, respectively. We also tested whether any indirect associations varied among subgroups of respondents living alone. Analyses showed that visiting green space was associated with greater mental well-being and marginally lower odds of using anxiety/depression medication use indirectly, mediated via both relationship and community satisfaction. These indirect associations were equally strong among respondents living alone and those living with a partner. Neighbourhood green space was, additionally, associated with more visits among respondents living with a partner, whereas among those living alone, this was sensitive to the green space metric. Within subgroups of people living alone, few overall differences were found. Some indirect pathways were, nevertheless, stronger in males, under 60-year-olds, those with no financial strain, and residents in warmer climates. In conclusion, supporting those living alone, as well as those living with a partner, to more frequently access their local greenspaces could help improve mental health via promoting relational and collective restoration.Academy of FinlandTHL foundatio

A Semi-Lagrangian scheme for a modified version of the Hughes model for pedestrian flow

In this paper we present a Semi-Lagrangian scheme for a regularized version of the Hughes model for pedestrian flow. Hughes originally proposed a coupled nonlinear PDE system describing the evolution of a large pedestrian group trying to exit a domain as fast as possible. The original model corresponds to a system of a conservation law for the pedestrian density and an Eikonal equation to determine the weighted distance to the exit. We consider this model in presence of small diffusion and discuss the numerical analysis of the proposed Semi-Lagrangian scheme. Furthermore we illustrate the effect of small diffusion on the exit time with various numerical experiments