Reacción a "Reaction: Adolescents and children from low socioeconomic neighborhoods walk less and engage in less physical activity"

This is a high-quality study that addresses the influence of built environment characteristics on physical activity-related actions such as walking, outdoor play, or sports participation. It provides conclusions based on a sample of over 3,000 adolescents from across Spain, thus contributing to filling gaps in current evidence. Until now, Spain had paid little attention to the influence of socioeconomic status from the perspective of residential areas (and its implications for the built environment) on physical activity, which in turn impacts people's health.

The findings of this study will enable decision-makers to consider the provision and maintenance of infrastructure in different neighborhoods, cities, or towns to prevent negative impacts on population physical activity levels. Nonetheless, there is a need to continue bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and policy decisions so that studies like this can have a more tangible impact on people's lives.