Women feeling unsafe at night tend to be less active

Washington, Jan 1 (UNI) Women residing in low-income housing considered unsafe at night are much less physically active than those living in safer environments.

The study, published in Public Library of Science Medicine, found 80 per cent of respondents felt safe during the daytime, but only 37 per cent felt safe at night. Men, however, felt safe at both times of day.

Though no association was found between feelings of safety and total physical activity for men at any time of the day, or women during the day -- but women who felt unsafe at night were significantly less active than those who felt safe.

The research looked at residents of 12 urban and predominantly minority public housing communities in metropolitan Boston.

To measure physical activity, participants completed surveys of their activity. They were asked to wear a pedometer at all times except when bathing, showering or sleeping.

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