Is the neighbourhood environment associated with sedentary behaviour outside of school hours among children?

<b>Background</b> Little is known about neighbourhood environments and children’s sedentary behaviour outside school hours.<br />Purpose This study aims to examine the associations between public open spaces (POS), parent perceptions of the neighbourhood and children’s sedentary behaviours.<br /><b>Methods</b> Parents reported their child’s television viewing and computer/electronic game time and their perceptions of the physical and social neighbourhood. Children’s sedentary<br />time was objectively assessed. The closest POS was audited.<br /><b>Results</b> Cross-sectionally, living near a POS with a water feature and greater parental satisfactionwith POS quality were negatively associated with computer/e-games; greater POS area was negatively associated with TV viewing. Longitudinally, living in a cul-de-sac and greater satisfaction with POS quality were negatively associated with computer/e-games and TV viewing, respectively. Awalking path in the POS was positively associated with computer/e-games.<br /><b>Conclusion</b> Neighbourhood features appear to positively and negatively influence children’s sedentary behaviours, highlighting the complexity of urban planning on behaviour. Further age- and context-specific studies are required.<br />