title: Perception of environmental obstacles to commuting physical activity in Brazilian elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between perceived environmental attributes and commuting physical activity (PA) in a population-based sample of elderly persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study was performed in 2009/2010, including 1652 elderly individuals aged 60 years or greater living in Florianopolis-SC, Brazil. Physical activity was measured using the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Perceived environmental variables were assessed using a modified version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. Multinomial logistic regression was used and a 5% significance level was taken into account.
  
  
  RESULTS
  36.8% and 35.2% of the subjects were inactive or did not reach 150 min/week on transport-related physical activity, respectively. Physical and social environmental characteristics, such as the absence of parks and athletic courts (OR(Inactive):1.75; 95% CI:1.22-2.51); presence of garbage (OR(Low-active):1.55; 1.04-2.30); street lighting (OR(Low-active):2.51; 95% CI:1.36-4.64; OR(Low-active):2.43; 95% CI:1.43-4.15); not walking with the dog (OR(Inactive): 3.08; 95% CI:1.42-6.69) and don't have a dog (OR(Inactive):2.45; 95% CI:1.06-5.66) were associated with lower levels of commuting PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results showed that poor physical and social environmental characteristics were related to lower commuting. Building public facilities and promoting physical activity in groups are likely to impact in active commuting among the elderly in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. mwcorseuil@gmail.com
authors.forename: Maruí W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Corseuil
authors.forename: Ione Jayce C
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Diego A Santos
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Filipe F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Kelly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Lucélia J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: d'Orsi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs; D004779:Environment Design / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*