Environmental Features Associated With Older Adults' Physical Activity in Different Types of Urban Neighborhoods.

The authors studied associations of nature- and infrastructure-based features with physical activity (PA) in different urban neighborhood types; 848 community-dwelling people aged 75–90 years reported PA and three perceived nature-based destinations and seven infrastructure-based features as outdoor mobility facilitators. Neighborhood type was defined using a geographic information system based on proximity to central service areas and residential density (city center, subcenter, and dense and dispersed areas outside centers). PA was higher in dense areas and the city center. Binary logistic regression showed that perceiving nature-based destinations increased the odds for higher PA in the …

Supplemental_tables – Supplemental Material for Associations between Perceived Outdoor Environment and Walking Modifications in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Supplemental Material, Supplemental_tables for Associations between Perceived Outdoor Environment and Walking Modifications in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study by Heidi Skantz, Taina Rantanen, Timo Rantalainen, Kirsi E. Keskinen, Lotta Palmberg, Erja Portegijs, Johanna Eronen and Merja Rantakokko in Journal of Aging and Health

Hilliness and the Development of Walking Difficulties Among Community-Dwelling Older People

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the associations of objectively defined hilliness with the prevalence and incidence of walking difficulties among community-dwelling older adults, and to explore whether behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors would fully or partially explain these associations. Method: Baseline interviews ( n = 848, 75-90 years) on difficulties in walking 500 m, frequency of moving through the neighborhood, and perceived hilliness as a barrier to outdoor mobility were conducted. Two-year follow-up interviews ( n = 551) on difficulties in walking 500 m were conducted among participants without baseline walking difficulties. Hilliness objectively defin…

Clustering of reported activity destinations and use of active transport among older adults

Background Conducting everyday activities out-of-home may accumulate a large share of older adults' daily physical, especially if active transportation is used. Environmental features in home neighborhood may motivate for higher physical activity, but the role of features around destinations is less known. Our goal was to study 1) clustering of older adults' reported activity destinations, and 2) whether transport mode to a destination was associated with characteristics of destination clusters. Methods Data comprise AGNES study participants (901 community-dwelling people aged 75-85 years living in city of Jyväskylä, Finland; 57% women) combined with geospatial data. Using digital mapping, …

Nature diversity and well-being in old age

Background The research aim was to study the associations of nature diversity with quality of life (QoL) and depressive symptoms among older people, and whether physical activity explains the associations. Methods Community-dwelling people aged 75–90 years (n = 848) living in Central Finland were interviewed in their homes. QoL was assessed with a short version of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Assessment (range 0–130, higher score indicates better QoL) and depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (range 0–30, higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms). Self-reported physical activity was assessed by intensity and duration using a s…

Associations of Environmental Features With Outdoor Physical Activity on Weekdays and Weekend Days: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Older People

Background: Physical activity (PA) of higher intensity and longer duration mainly accumulates from older adults' out-of-home activities. Outdoor PA is influenced by environmental features; however, the day-to-day variability of PA and its associations with environmental features have not been widely studied. This study focused on the associations of environmental features with accelerometer-measured PA in older people on weekdays and weekend days. Methods: The study population comprised 167 community-dwelling older people aged 75–90 years. Accelerometers were worn on 7 consecutive days and a structured interview on physical functioning, health, and socioeconomic factors was administered. A …

Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland

The aim was to study objectively assessed walkability of the environment and participant perceived environmental facilitators for outdoor mobility as predictors of physical activity in older adults with and without physical limitations. 75–90-year-old adults living independently in Central Finland were interviewed (n = 839) and reassessed for self-reported physical activity one or two years later (n = 787). Lower-extremity physical limitations were defined as Short Physical Performance Battery score ≤9. Number of perceived environmental facilitators was calculated from a 16-item checklist. Walkability index (land use mix, street connectivity, population density) of the home environment was …

Older adults’ activity destinations before and during COVID-19 restrictions: From a variety of activities to mostly physical exercise close to home

The aim was to study various types of older adult's activity destinations (counts, frequency of visitation, and distance from home) in the pre-COVID-19 era, and to study prospectively how COVID-19-related regulations limiting mobility affected these. Using a map-based questionnaire, 75-85-year-old participants reported activity destinations, that is, any destinations for physical exercise, destinations facilitating one's outdoor mobility, and destinations for other activities, which they had visited several times during the past month. At baseline, a variety of activity destinations was reported, but during COVID-19, destinations reported markedly declined in number, they were reported pred…

ROAD NETWORK HILLINESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF WALKING DIFFICULTIES AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER PEOPLE

Aims: To study associations between objective road network hilliness and development of walking difficulties (WD) within two years, and to examine how hilliness as a perceived barrier and frequency of moving through the neighborhood affect to this.

Associations between Perceived Outdoor Environment and Walking Modifications in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Objectives: To examine associations of perceived outdoor environment with the prevalence and development of adaptive (e.g., slower pace) and maladaptive (e.g., avoiding walking) modifications in walking 2 km among older people. Methods: Community-dwelling 75–90 -year-old persons ( N = 848) reported environmental outdoor mobility facilitators and barriers at baseline. Modifications in walking 2 km (adaptive, maladaptive, or no) were assessed at baseline and one and two years later. Results: Outdoor mobility facilitators were more often reported by those not using modifications or using adaptive versus maladaptive walking modifications. Differences in health and physical capacity explained m…

A landscape approach to planetary well-being

“Landscape” refers to a perceivable spatial level shaped by socio-ecological interactions and represents the systems where people live. Human societies have globally transformed landscapes to meet their needs, e.g., nutrition or shelter, according to cultural preferences. This human domination of land has resulted in considerable competition for space with other lifeforms, driving biodiversity loss through land-use change and intensification, as well as coming into conflict with planetary well-being. Recent research has highlighted the relevance of the landscape level when articulating human activities with and in their environment and maintaining human and nonhuman cohabitation. Indeed, th…

Vesialueiden ja suurten luontoalueiden monimuotoisuuden yhteys iäkkäiden ihmisten fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen

Nature as a facilitator for physical activity : Defining relationships between the objective and perceived environment and physical activity among community-dwelling older people

The aim was to study the correspondence between the objective and perceived environment and to assess their associations with physical activity (PA) in older people. 848 community-dwelling older people aged 75–90 were interviewed on their difficulties in walking 500 m, perceiving nature as a facilitator for outdoor mobility, and PA. The presence of water and landscape diversity were objectively assessed inside 500 m and 1000 m circular buffers around participants’ homes. Using logistic regression, participant data were analyzed together with the objectively assessed environmental features. Our results indicate that higher habitat diversity within natural areas correlates with higher PA amon…

Planetary well-being

Tensions between the well-being of present humans, future humans, and nonhuman nature manifest in social protests and political and academic debates over the future of Earth. The increasing consumption of natural resources no longer increases, let alone equalizes, human well-being, but has led to the current ecological crisis and harms both human and nonhuman well-being. While the crisis has been acknowledged, the existing conceptual frameworks are in some respects ill-equipped to address the crisis in a way that would link the resolving of the crisis with the pivotal aim of promoting equal well-being. The shortcomings of the existing concepts in this respect relate to anthropocentric norma…

Planetary well-being

Tensions between the well-being of present humans, future humans, and nonhuman nature manifest in social protests and political and academic debates over the future of Earth. The increasing consumption of natural resources no longer increases, let alone equalises, human well-being, but has led to the current ecological crisis and harms both human and nonhuman well-being. While the crisis has been acknowledged, the existing conceptual frameworks are in some respects ill-equipped to address the crisis in a way that would link the resolving of the crisis with the pivotal aim of promoting equal well-being. The shortcomings of the existing concepts in this respect relate to anthropocentric norma…

Associations of Environmental Features With Outdoor Physical Activity on Weekdays and Weekend Days: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Older People

Background: Physical activity (PA) of higher intensity and longer duration mainly accumulates from older adults' out-of-home activities. Outdoor PA is influenced by environmental features; however, the day-to-day variability of PA and its associations with environmental features have not been widely studied. This study focused on the associations of environmental features with accelerometer-measured PA in older people on weekdays and weekend days.Methods: The study population comprised 167 community-dwelling older people aged 75–90 years. Accelerometers were worn on 7 consecutive days and a structured interview on physical functioning, health, and socioeconomic factors was administered. A g…