TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Built environment and walking behavior among brazilian older adults: a population-based study
JO  - Journal of physical activity and health
A1  - Giehl, Marui Weber
A1  - Hallal, Pedro C.
A1  - Weber Corseuil, Claudia
A1  - Ceola Schneider, Ione J.
A1  - d'Orsi, Eleonora
SP  - 617
EP  - 624
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
N2  - BACKGROUND: Understanding the built environment influence on specific domains of walking is important for public health interventions to increase physical activity levels among older adults. <br><br>PURPOSE: To investigate the association between built environment characteristics and walking among older adults. <br><br>METHODS: A population-based study was performed in 80 census tracts in Florianopolis, Brazil, including 1,705 older adults (60+ years). Walking was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Built environment characteristics were assessed through Geographic Information System (GIS). All analyses were conducted through a multilevel logistic regression. <br><br>RESULTS: Individuals living in neighborhoods with higher population density (OR: 2.19; 95%CI: 1.40; 3.42), with higher street connectivity (OR: 1.85; 95%CI: 1.16; 2,94), higher sidewalk proportion (OR: 1.77; 95%CI: 1.11; 2.83) and paved streets (medium tertile: OR: 1.61, 95%CI: 1.04; 2.49; highest tertile: OR: 2.11; 95%CI: 1.36; 3.27) were more likely to walk for transportation. Regarding walking for leisure, only two predictors were associated, area income (OR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.04; 2.12) and street density (OR: 1.47; 95%CI: 1.02; 2.10). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Improving the neighborhood built environment is an important step for achieving higher levels of walking in the elderly population in a middle-income country.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1543-3080
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2015-0355
ID  - ref1
ER  -