Impact of environmental conditions on physical activity behavior in the Netherlands

PURPOSE: Extreme periods of high or low ambient temperatures are expected to occur more often with climate change. Such environmental conditions could influence habitual physical activity patterns. This study examined the impact of ambient temperature on physical activity levels of Dutch adults and explored the effect of the built environment on this relationship.

METHODS: Physical activity behavior was objectively monitored during 8 consecutive days of cold (<10°C), mild (10-20°C), and warm (>20°C) ambient conditions using a triaxial accelerometer (ActivPAL, PAL Technologies Ltd., Glasgow, UK). Daily levels of light physical activity (LIPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sitting time, and step count were assessed. Green and grey areas in the built environment were classified using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, with >0.2 being classified as green. Ambient temperatures were recorded by standard weather stations.

RESULTS: 111 participants (63±11 years, 56% male) were included in this study. Mean ambient temperatures were 13.9±3.6°C (range 10.4-19.4°C) and 25.9±2.9°C (range 22.8-29.8°C) for the mild and warm conditions, respectively, and data will be collected during the 2025 winter for the cold condition. Daily sitting time was higher in the warm versus mild condition (9.4±1.5 h versus 9.2±1.3 h; p=0.04), whereas LIPA (277±71 min versus 279±63 min), MVPA (98±35 min versus 101±35 min), and step count (12,561±4,418 steps versus 13,063±4,297 steps) did not differ. There were no differences between grey and green areas for any of the activity characteristics.  

CONCLUSION:  A higher daily sitting time was observed in warm compared to mild environmental conditions, whereas no differences in other habitual physical activity patterns were observed. Moreover, environmental characteristics did not impact physical activity patterns. These findings suggest that global warming may contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle.