Evaluation of exercise in the natural environment

PsycNET - Display Record: Based on a new experimental paradigm to evaluate physical activity in the natural environment, 45,694 observations were made of persons using stairs or an adjacent escalator at a shopping mall, train station, and bus terminal. In Study 1, stair use more than doubled for both obese and nonobese persons during 2 2-wk periods when a colorful sign encouraging use of the stairs was positioned at the stairs/escalator choice point. In Study 2, stair use remained elevated for 15 consecutive days while the sign was present, decreased during a 1-mo follow-up period, and returned to baseline by 3 mo. Results not only demonstrate the usefulness of this paradigm but also suggest the strength of simple, inexpensive public health interventions to increase physical activity. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)