Using Walk Score and Neighborhood Perceptions to Assess Walking Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • We aimed to determine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics (walkability, cohesion/safety) and recommended activity levels among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults. Subjective and objective data on 394 individuals aged 50years were used to assess the likelihood of walking 150min/week. Environmental factors associated with a greater likelihood of any walking 150min/week included living in a neighborhood with high perception of cohesion/safety versus low, living in walkable areas versus car-dependent, and living in an area with a low-moderate median income versus the lowest. Middle-aged and older adults were more likely to walk 150min/week in a walkable, perceived safe/cohesive neighborhood. Identifying neighborhood factors associated with promoting walking among this population can enable stakeholders (e.g., researchers, planners, and policy makers) to direct interventions focusing on the built environment.

published proceedings

  • J Community Health

altmetric score

  • 12

author list (cited authors)

  • Towne, S. D., Won, J., Lee, S., Ory, M. G., Forjuoh, S. N., Wang, S., & Lee, C.

citation count

  • 35

complete list of authors

  • Towne, Samuel D||Won, Jaewoong||Lee, Sungmin||Ory, Marcia G||Forjuoh, Samuel N||Wang, Suojin||Lee, Chanam

publication date

  • October 2016