title: Physical activity-friendly neighbourhood among older adults from a medium size urban setting in Southern Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between socio-environmental characteristics of neighborhood of residence and the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults from Porto (Portugal).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from EpiPorto - a prospective adult cohort study from Porto (Portugal) - were used. Only adults aged ≥ 65 at baseline (1999-2003) were included (n=580). We used a Geographic Information System to objectively measure the neighborhood characteristics and Generalized Additive Models to estimate their effect on participation in LTPA (none vs. some reported) and frequency of LTPA (min/day).
  
  
  RESULTS
  62% of the participants reported no LTPA. Active elderly spent on average 38 (women) and 67 (men) minutes per day exercising. Neighborhood characteristics were unrelated to whether older people exercised or not. However, among active individuals, distance to the nearest destination (β=-0.154, p=0.016), in women, and distance to the nearest park, in men (-0.030, 0.050), were predictors of LTPA frequency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was almost no association between neighborhood characteristics and whether older adults engaged in LTPA or not, but among those that did engage, neighborhood characteristics were associated with increased frequency of LTPA. The promotion of well distributed destinations and parks might improve physical activity levels among the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia Clínica, Medicina Preditiva e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto; ISPUP - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto; INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto. Electronic address: ana.isabel.ribeiro@ineb.up.pt.
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Marília Sá
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: de Pina
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D011174:Portugal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Neighborhood; Older adults; Physical activity; Portugal; Urban environment