Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Physical activity

Public Transit Stop Density Is Associated With Walking for Exercise Among a National Sample of Older Adults
Examines the relationship between density of neighborhood public transit stops and walking for exercise among older adults. Analyzes 2018 neighborhood data and self-reported exercise along with sociodemographic characteristics, economic status, and disability status. Includes discussion about built environment and metro versus nonmetro comparisons.
Author(s): Erica Twardzik, Jason R. Falvey, Philippa J. Clarke, Vicki A. Freedman, Jennifer A. Schrack
Citation: BMC Geriatrics, 23, 596
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
view details
The State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America
Presents the latest data available on adult and childhood obesity rates, with breakdowns by state and select demographic characteristics. Examines key current and emerging policies, provides funding opportunities, and outlines recommended policy actions. Includes a special feature that examines obesity trends over the past 20 years.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Madison West, Stacy Beck
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
view details
Oregon by the Numbers - Key Measures for Oregon and Its Counties
Breaks down demographic and socioeconomic data in Oregon by county. Highlights data on various measures for each county such as food insecurity, unemployment rate, adult smoking, broadband access, and percent rural versus urban, among others.
Additional links: En Español
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Ford Family Foundation, Oregon State University Rural Studies Program
view details
Sleep Time, Physical Activity, and Screen Time among Montana American Indian Youth
Presents a study on the correlation between sleep, physical activity, and screen time among American Indian youth in Montana. Breaks down data by sex, grade, and BMI, among other measures.
Author(s): Vernon Grant, Francine C. Gachupin
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(17), 6658
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
view details
Physical Activity–Friendly Policies and Community Design Features in the US, 2014 and 2021
Examines policy and community design changes from 2014 to 2021 that support physical activity infrastructure. Focuses on designs and policies such as sidewalk width, lighting, bicycle space, and more. Includes discussions about infrastructure and policy specific to rural areas.
Author(s): Bryant J. Webber, Geoffrey P. Whitfield, Latetia V. Moore, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
view details
A Descriptive Study of Covid-Era Movers to the Northern Forest Region
Discusses citizen relocation to the northern forest region, consisting of counties in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Describes motivations for relocation during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as opportunities for outdoor recreation and access to rural spaces.
Author(s): Jess Carson, Sarah Boege, Libby Schwaner
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
view details
Contextualizing Physical Activity in Rural Adults: Do Relationships Between Income Inequality, Neighborhood Environments, and Physical Activity Exist?
Examines a selection of rural southern counties to see how social determinants of health (SDOH) are related to physical activity. Utilizes data from an August 2020-March 2021 telephone survey to analyze physical activity in 334 respondents by sex, race, income, obesity status, marriage status, as well as rates of income inequality, social cohesion, and walkability of community.
Author(s): Samuel L. K. Baxter, Giselle Corbie, Sarah F. Griffin
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(S2), 238-247
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
view details
An Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility
Provides a literature review and cases studies related to the ways rural communities encourage health-focused infrastructure, multimodal transportation, economic development, and environmentally safe practices. Describes the typology and demographics of rural areas and discusses how transportation is linked to wellness and community health outcomes.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Smart Growth America, The National Complete Streets Coalition
view details
Changes in Physical Inactivity Among US Adults Overall and by Sociodemographic Characteristics, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2020 Versus 2018
Analyzes changes in physical activity in U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to 2018 and 2016 data. Focuses on prevalence of physical inactivity according to age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, and rural versus urban geographic location.
Author(s): Miriam E. Van Dyke, Tiffany J. Chen, Jasmine Y. Nakayama, Latetia V. Moore, Geoffrey P. Whitfield
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
State Differences in Recommended Components of Care Received During Postpartum Visits for Rural and Urban Residents, 2016-2019
Policy brief measuring state-level differences in receipt of recommended postpartum care components for urban and rural residents, using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Features statistics on the median number of postpartum care components with breakdowns by state and rurality, and state-level maps with shadings showing frequency of screening for depression, smoking, abuse, and counseling for contraception, eating and exercise, and birth spacing.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Phoebe Chastain, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details