A multilevel analysis of the association between social networks and support on leisure time physical activity: evidence from 40 disadvantaged areas in London
There has been extensive conceptual and empirical work on the associations between social
relations and health in recent years. However, the specific pathways through which social
interactions impact on health have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this paper is to
estimate associations between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and social networks and
support. Using data from a cross-sectional household survey in 40 disadvantaged Lower
Super Output Areas in London, we applied a multilevel model to investigate psychosocial
and environmental determinants of physical activity in these populations. Our findings
present a strong case for the influence of individual-level social networks on the level of
LTPA, although the associations between the types of social support and LTPA were
insignificant. We also found that crime rate was an important area-level correlates of LTPA