Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Jan:149:104-13.
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.12.011. Epub 2015 Dec 12.

Neighbourhood environment and physical activity in older adults

Habib Chaudhury  1 , Michael Campo  2 , Yvonne Michael  3 , Atiya Mahmood  2
Affiliations

Neighbourhood environment and physical activity in older adults

Habib Chaudhury et al. Soc Sci Med. 2016 Jan.

Abstract

Rationale: The neighbourhood socio-physical environment has effects on health in later life including health behaviours, chronic illnesses, mental health and mortality. Few studies have examined the relationship of both physical environmental features and social aspects of neighbourhood with older adults' physical activity.

Objective: This study examined the relationship of neighbourhood physical and social environment with physical activity among older adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted with 434 older adults in eight neighbourhoods in greater Vancouver, Canada and Portland, United States. Data included participants' perceptions of their neighbourhood built and social environment factors and levels of physical activity. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to understand the relationship between these factors.

Results: Participants engaged in physical activity most frequently at home (87.1%) or in close proximity of home (76.5%). Neighbourhood walkability, presence of amenities and accessibility were not significantly associated with meeting physical activity requirements. Participation in a recreational program with friends was associated with increased likelihood of physical activity.

Conclusion: The home and its immediate physical environmental context has potentially important relevance in supporting physical activity in older adults. Also, neighbourhood social aspects have a positive influence on activity levels.

Keywords: Built environment; Neighbourhood; Older adults; Physical activity; Social environment.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Acree LS, Longfors J, Fjeldstad AS, Fjeldstad C, Schank B, Nickel KJ, et al. , 2006. Physical activity is related to quality of life in older adults. Health Qual. Life Outcomes 4, 37. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Aspinall PA, Thompson CW, Alves S, Sugiyama T, Brice R, Vickers A, 2010. Preference and relative importance for environmental attributes of neighbourhood open space in older people. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des 37 (6), 1022–1039.
    1. Barrett F, 2000. Finke’s 1792 map of human diseases: the first world disease map? Soc. Sci. Med 50 (7–8), 915–921. - PubMed
    1. Berkman LF, Glass T, Brissette I, Seeman TE, 2000. From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Soc. Sci. Med 51 (6), 843–857. - PubMed
    1. Blumenthal JA, Gullette ECD, 2002. Exercise interventions and aging: psychological and physical health benefits in older adults. In: Schaie KW, Leventhal H, Willis SL (Eds.), Effective Health Behavior in Older Adults. Springer, New York, pp. 157–177 (Series Societal Impact on Aging).

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources