Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn. 2012 42(4): 49-56 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2012.023

Neighborhood environment and walking for transport and recreation in Central European older adults

Jana Pelclová1, Karel Frömel1, Ladislav Bláha2, Izabela Zaj±c-Gawlak3, Lenka Tlučáková4
1 Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc
2 Pedagogical faculty, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem
3 Academy of Physical Education, Katowice
4 Faculty of Sports, Univerzity of Preąov, Preąov

Background: Neighborhood environment is an aspect that influences physical activity, mainly walking. Hence, built environment research may help to use environmental and policy strategies to increase physical activity.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between perceived neighborhood environment and meeting the recommendation of at least 30 minutes of walking 5 or more days a week within active transportation and leisure-time domains in Central European older adults.

Methods: Four hundred and fifty six healthy ambulatory older adults filled out the modified and culturally adapted version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (ANEWS) for obtaining perceived environment information and the self-administrative long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) for assessing physical activity levels.

Results: Respondents living in high residential density neighborhoods (OR 1.87), living in flats (OR 2.09) and in location with ≤100,000 inhabitants (OR 1.63) were more likely to meet recommendation within walking for transportation. Owning a dog was associated with meeting recommendation within walking for leisure (OR 1.69).

Conclusions: This study supported the specific impact of environment on meeting PA recommendations within transportation and leisure time walking in older adults. Out of all perceived neighborhood environmental attributes received from ANEWS questionnaire, only high residential density was positively associated with meeting recommendation within total walking and walking for transport.

Keywords: IPAQ, ANEWS, physical activity, residental density

Prepublished online: December 31, 2012; Published: September 1, 2012  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Pelclová, J., Frömel, K., Bláha, L., Zaj±c-Gawlak, I., & Tlučáková, L. (2012). Neighborhood environment and walking for transport and recreation in Central European older adults. Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis. Gymnica, 42(4), 49-56. doi: 10.5507/ag.2012.023
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Belza, B., Walwick, J., Schwartz, S., LoGerfo, J., Shiu-Thornton, S., & Taylor, M. (2004). Older adult perspectives on physical activity and exercise: Voices from multiple cultures. Preventing Chronic Disease, 1(4). Retrieved 3. 4. 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2004/oct/04_0028.htm
    2. Cerin, E., Saelens, B. E., Sallis, J. F., & Frank, L. D. (2006). Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale: Validity and development of a short form. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(9), 1682-1691. Go to original source...
    3. Craig, C. L., Marshall, A. L., Sjöström, M., Bauman, A. E., Booth, M. L., Ainsworth, B. E., Pratt, M., Ekelund, U., Yngve, A., Sallis, J. F., & Oja, P. (2003). International physical activity questionnaire: 12 country reliability and validity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35(8), 1381-1395. Go to original source...
    4. Frank, L., Kerr, J., Rosenberg, D., & King, A. (2010). Healthy aging and where you live: Community design relationships with physical activity and body weight in older Americans. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 7(1), 82-90. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Frömel, K., Mitáą, J., & Kerr, J. (2008). The association between active lifestyle, the size of a community and SES of the adults population in the Czech Republic. Health & Place, 15(2), 447-454. Go to original source...
    6. Gauvin, L., Riva, M., Barnett, T., Richard, L., Craig, C. L., Spivock, M., Laforest, S., Laberge, S., Fournel, M., Gagnon, H., & Gagné, S. (2008). Association between neighborhood active living potential and walking. American Journal of Epidemiology, 167(8), 944-953. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Giles-Corti, B., Timperio, A., Bull, F., & Pikora, T. (2005). Understanding physical activity environmental correlates: Increased specificity for ecological models. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 33(4), 175-181. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Gomes, G. A. et al. (2011). Walking for leisure among adults from three Brazilian cities and its association with perceived environment attributes and personal factors. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8(1), 111. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Humpel, N., Owen, N., & Leslie, E. (2002). Environmental factors associated with adults' participation in physical activity: A review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22(3), 188-199. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Haskell, W. L. et al. (2007). Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation, 116(9), 1081-1093. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Lee, I. M., & Buchner, D. M. (2008). The importance of walking to public health. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40(7), 512-518. Go to original source...
    12. Maas, J., Verheij, R. A., Groenewegen, P. P., De Vries, S., & Spreeuwenberg, P. (2006). Green space, urbanity, and health: How strong is the relation? Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 60(7), 587-592. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Nagel, C. L., Carlson, N. E., Bosworth, M., & Michael, Y. L. (2008). The relation between neighborhood built environment and walking activity among older adults. American Journal of Epidemiology, 168(4), 461-468. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Owen, N. et al. (2007). Neighborhood walkability and the walking behavior of Australian adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 33(5), 387-395. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Owen, N., Humpel, N., Leslie, E., Bauman, A., & Sallis, J. F. (2004). Understanding environmental influences on walking. Review and research agenda. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27(1), 67-76. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Pelclová, J., Gába, A., Tlučáková, L., & Po¶piech, D. (2012). Association between physical activity (PA) guidelines and body composition variables in middleaged and older women. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 55(2), 14-20. Go to original source...
    17. Pelclová, J., Vaąíčková, J., Frömel, K., & Djordjević, I. (2010). Leisure time, occupational, domestic, and commuting physical activity of inhabitants of the Czech Republic aged 55-69: Influence of sociodemographic and environmental factors. Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis. Gymnica, 39(3), 13-20.
    18. Saelens, B. E., Sallis, J. F., Black, J., & Chen, D. (2002) Measuring perceived neighborhood environment factors related to walking/cycling. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, 139. Go to original source...
    19. Saelens, B., Sallis, J. F., & Frank, L. (2003). Environmental correlates of walking and cycling: Findings from the transportation, urban design, and planning literatures. Annual Behavioral Medicine, 25(2), 80-91. Go to original source...
    20. Sallis, J. F. (2011). Environmental and policy research on physical activity is going global. Research of Exercise Epidemiology, 13(2), 111-117.
    21. Sallis, J. F. et al. (2009). Neighborhood environments and physical activity among adults in 11 countries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(6), 484-490. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Sallis, J. F., & Owen, N. (2002). Ecological models of health behavior. In K. Glanz, F. M. Lewis, & B. K. Rimer (Eds.), Health behavior and health education: Theory, research and practice (pp. 456-486). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
    23. Takano, T., Nakamura, K., & Watanabe, M. (2002). Urban residential environments and senior citizens' longevity in megacity areas: The importance of walkable green spaces. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 56(12), 913-918. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Thorpe, R. J. et al. (2006). Dog ownership, walking behavior, and maintained mobility in late life. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(9), 1419- 1424. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    25. World Health Organization. (1998). Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organization, Geneva.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content