title: Outdoor physical activity and self rated health in older adults living in two regions of the U.S.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Older adults spend little time outdoors and many are physically inactive. The relationship between outdoor physical activity and self rated health has not been studied in older adults. This paper aimed to assess the relation of location of physical activity to self rated health and physical activity minutes. This was an observational study of ambulatory adults 66 years and older conducted in 2005-2008. Participants (N = 754) completed survey measures of physical activity location and self rated health, and wore an accelerometer to objectively assess physical activity. A mixed model linear regression procedure adjusted for neighborhood clustering effects. Differences in self rated health and physical activity minutes were compared across three physical activity settings (indoor only, outdoor only, both indoor and outdoor).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity were significantly greater in those who were physically active at least once a week outdoors compared with those who were physically active indoors only. Self rated health was significantly related to being physically active but did not vary by location of activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older adults who were physically active outdoors accumulated significantly more physical activity, but self-rated health was not significantly greater than those being physically active indoors.
authors: Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, CA, USA. jkerr@ucsd.edu
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Kerr
authors: James F
authors: JF
authors: Sallis
authors: Brian E
authors: BE
authors: Saelens
authors: Kelli L
authors: KL
authors: Cain
authors: Terry L
authors: TL
authors: Conway
authors: Lawrence D
authors: LD
authors: Frank
authors: Abby C
authors: AC
authors: King
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D011203:Poverty; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking; D014861:Washington