Walk Score® walkability index is associated with sedentary behavior and physical activity recommendation in rural older adults
Mini-Oral Presentation A3.8
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.449Keywords:
Walkability, Walk Score, Older Adults, Physical Activity, Sedentary BehaviorAbstract
Background: To date, there is no studies have investigated the associations between the Walk Scores of neighborhood environments and the physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) of older adults in rural areas. Purpose: The aim of this study was thus to examine the correlations of Walk Scores with sufficient PA and prolonged SB in order to provide appropriate recommendations for older adults living in rural areas. Methods: The sample comprised 1,083 older adults (aged ≥65 years). Cross-sectional data on PA, SB, and screen time were obtained by using computer-assisted telephone-based interviews. The Walk Score, which indicates the walkability of a neighborhood, was assessed for each participant's neighborhood, with the resulting scores divided into five classes ranging from class 1 to class 5. Binary logistic regression analyses were adopted. Results: Compared with those living in very car-dependent locations (class 1), older adults who lived in locations classified as a “walker's paradise” (class 5) were more likely to meet the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendation (≥150 min/week) (odds ratio [OR] = 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37-4.02). However, older adults who lived in a somewhat walkable area (class 3) (OR= 1.61; 95% CI = 1.05-2.47), very walkable area (class 4) (OR= 1.75; 95% CI= 1.11-2.75), or a walker's paradise (class 5) (OR= 2.58; 95% CI= 1.54-4.33) also had significant likelihoods of excessive SB (≥7hr/day). In addition, similar results were found regarding to excessive screen time (≥2 hr/day). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that living in a more walkable neighborhood may support MVPA while also being associated with excessive SB among older adults living in rural areas. These findings provide critical information for improving neighborhood walkability and the health-related behaviors of suburban or rural area residents. Funding: This work was supported by Shao-Hsi Chang received a personal grant from the College of Sports and Recreation, National Taiwan Normal University, and from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (Grant Number: MOST 108-2410-H-003-117).
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Copyright (c) 2021 Yi-Chien Yu, Ming-Chun Hsueh, Yung Liao, I-Chun Chen, Shao-Hsi Chang
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