Getting sufficient physical activity, as most of us know, is a healthy lifestyle choice that can help prevent disease, among many benefits. But physical activity can be difficult for people to naturally integrate into daily life, and there are barriers for older adults who often have chronic illnesses and mobility limitations.

Dori Rosenberg has conducted extensive research into the promotion of physical activity, including how the built environment can better support active lifestyles and how it can help with age-related decline. Using a multilevel approach, she aims to help ensure individuals can be more successful in making healthy-lifestyle choices by understanding individual resources, characteristics, motivation, social lives, and community environments. She notes that society has many “default” options that actually promote inactivity and lead to declining health and function. One example is the use of electric scooters for individuals still able to walk, which can lead to dependency and reduced walking ability—working against the common adage, “Use it or lose it.”

Because so much physical activity takes place in communities, Dr. Rosenberg investigates how the built environment—such as parks, open space, and sidewalks—can better encourage walking and other movement. Her most compelling research inquiry is, “How can we re-engineer our environments to support active living—for everyone?” She envisions more outdoor urban and suburban facilities that invite physical activity and do so inclusively so that individuals eight to 80 can use them, as well as those with disabilities.

When delving into data, Dr. Rosenberg says she values what’s “in the numbers” of quantitative data, yet finds personal stories especially gratifying. Through her dissertation study, which won the 2010 Outstanding Dissertation award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine, she examined the outcomes of a multilevel walking intervention for very old adults. While the walking intervention increased step counts, the practical, anecdotal evidence was particularly compelling. One study participant noted that walking more made it easier for her to get dressed in the morning, something very important to her.

Dr. Rosenberg co-leads the Council on the Environment and Physical Activity’s Older Adult Group within the International Society for Physical Activity and Health. She also works with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Healthy Aging Network, contributing to projects that promote mobility and physical activity in aging populations. At the University of Washington (UW), Dr. Rosenberg serves as an affiliate assistant professor in the School of Public Health Department of Health Services and as affiliate investigator in the Health Promotion Research Center.

Related information:

• Society of Behavioral Medicine
• International Society for Physical Activity and Health
• CDC Healthy Aging Research Network
• The Built Environment, Accessibility, and Mobility Study (BEAMS) at the UW Health Promotion Research Center

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Recent publications

Bombardier CH, Ehde DM, Gibbons LE, Wadhwani R, Sullivan MD, Rosenberg DE, Kraft GH. Telephone-based physical activity counseling for major depression in people with multiple sclerosis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2013; 81(1):89-99.

Rosenberg DE, Bombardier CH, Artherholt S, Jensen MP, Motl RW. Self-reported depression and physical activity in adults with mobility impairments. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Nov 16. pii: S0003-9993(12)01116-1. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.11.014. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Rosenberg DE, Turner AP, Littman AJ, Williams RM, Norvell DC, Hakimi KM, Czerniecki J. Body mass index patterns following dysvascular lower extremity amputation. Disabil Rehabil. 2012 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Rosenberg DE, Huang DL, Simonovich SD, Belza B. Outdoor built environment barriers and facilitators to activity among midlife and older adults with mobility disabilities. Gerontologist. 2013 Apr;53(2):268-79. doi: 10.1093/geront/gns119. Epub 2012 Sep 25. PubMed

Kerr J, Rosenberg DE, Nathan A, Millstein R, Carlson J, Crist K, Wasilenko K, Bolling K, Castro CM, Marshall S. Applying the ecological model of behavior change to a physical activity trial in retirement communities: description of the study protocol. Contemp Clin Trials. 2012 Nov;33(6):1180-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2012.08.005. Epub 2012 Aug 17. PubMed

Alschuler KN, Gibbons LE, Rosenberg DE, Ehde DM, Verrall Am, Bamer AM, Jensen MP Body mass index and waist circumference in persons aging with muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, and spinal cord injury. Disabil Health J. 2012 Jul;5(3):177-84. Epub 2012 May 2.

Rosenberg DE, Kerr J, Sallis JF, Norman GJ, Calfas K, Patrick K. Promoting walking among older adults living in retirement communities. J Aging Phys Act. 2012;20(3):379-94. Epub 2011 Dec 20. PubMed

Patrick K, Calfas KJ, Norman GJ, Rosenberg D, Zabinski MF, Sallis JF, Rock CL, Dillon LW. Outcomes of a 12-month web-based intervention for overweight and obese men. Ann Behav Med. 2011 Dec;42(3):391-401. doi: 10.1007/s12160-011-9296-7.

Ding D, Sallis JF, Kerr J, Lee S, Rosenberg DE. Neighborhood environment and physical activity among youth: a review. Am J Prev Med. 2011 Oct;41(4):442-55. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.06.036.

Rosenberg DE, Bombardier CH, Hoffman JM, Belza BB. Physical activity among persons aging with mobility disabilities: shaping a research agenda. J Aging Res. 2011;2011:708510. Epub 2011 Jun 26. PubMed

Kerr J, Carlson JA, Sallis JF, Rosenberg DE, Leak CR, Saelens BE, Chapman JE, Frank LD, Cain KL, Conway TL, King AC. Assessing health-related resources in senior living residences. J Aging Studies. 2011;25:206-14.

Ding D, Sallis JF, Norman GJ, Saelens BE, Harris SK, Kerr J, Rosenberg D, Durant N, Glanz K. Community food environment, home food environment and fruit and vegetable intake of children and adolescents. J Nutr Educ and Behav. 2011 Apr 28. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2010.07.003. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Leek D, Carlson JA, Cain KL, Henrichon S, Rosenberg D, Patrick K, Sallis JF. Physical activity during youth sports practices. Arch Pediatr and Adolesc Med. 2011 Apr;165(4):294-9. Epub 2010 Dec 6. PubMed

To view more publications, please see Dr. Rosenberg’s CV.

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