title: Association between neighborhood active living potential and walking.
abstract: This paper examines the association between neighborhood active living potential and walking among middle-aged and older adults. A sample of 2,614 (61.1% women) persons aged 45 years or older and living in one of 112 census tracts in Montreal, Canada, were recruited between February and May of 2005 to participate in a 20-minute telephone survey. Data were linked to observational data on neighborhood active living potential in the 112 census tracts and analyzed through multilevel modeling. Greater density of destinations in the census tract was associated with greater likelihoods of walking for any reason at least 5 days per week for at least 30 minutes (odds ratio = 1.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.21, 1.94). Associations were attenuated but remained statistically significant after controlling for socioeconomic, health, lifestyle, and other physical activity characteristics. Sensitivity analyses showed that associations were robust across smaller and larger volumes of walking. No associations were found between dimensions of neighborhood active living potential and walking for recreational reasons. The authors conclude that a larger number and variety of neighborhood destinations in one's residential environment are associated with more walking and possibly more utilitarian walking among middle-aged or older adults.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Santé, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. lise.gauvin.2@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gauvin
authors.forename: Mylène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Tracie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Cora Lynn
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spivock
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laforest
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laberge
authors.forename: Marie-Chantal
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fournel
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gagnon
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gagné
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011792:Quebec; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D016138:Walking