A1 Journal article (refereed)
Associations of Environmental Features With Outdoor Physical Activity on Weekdays and Weekend Days : A Cross-Sectional Study Among Older People (2020)

Keskinen, K. E., Gao, Y., Rantakokko, M., Rantanen, T., & Portegijs, E. (2020). Associations of Environmental Features With Outdoor Physical Activity on Weekdays and Weekend Days : A Cross-Sectional Study Among Older People. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, Article 578275. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.578275

JYU authors or editors

Keskinen, Kirsi
Gao, Ying
Rantanen, Taina
Portegijs, Erja

Publication details

All authors or editors: Keskinen, Kirsi E.; Gao, Ying; Rantakokko, Merja; Rantanen, Taina; Portegijs, Erja

Journal or series: Frontiers in Public Health

eISSN: 2296-2565

Publication year: 2020

Publication date: 30/10/2020

Volume: 8

Article number: 578275

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.578275

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/72649

Abstract

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 geographic information system (GIS) was used to assess environmental features within a distance of 500 (number of land types, road network slope, intersection, and residential densities) or 1,000 m (habitat diversity within natural and green areas) from participants' homes. Accelerometer-based PA [number of PA bouts >10 min and minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)] was analyzed for weekdays and weekend days separately. Associations between environmental features and PA were analyzed using linear regression models.
Results: Participants accumulated on average 0.60 PA bouts and 34.2 MVPA minutes on weekdays and 0.50 PA bouts and 31.5 MVPA minutes on weekend days. Especially participants with low overall PA were less active at weekends. Habitat diversity in natural and green areas, intersection density, and residential density were positively associated with numbers of PA bouts and MVPA minutes on weekdays. Moreover, more diversity in natural and green areas was associated with more MVPA minutes on weekend days. A higher road network slope was negatively associated with the number of PA bouts throughout the week and with MVPA minutes on weekend days.
Conclusions: Environmental features close to home, especially PA-supportive infrastructural features and services, were more strongly associated with weekday than weekend PA. This suggests that older people's out-of-home activities, typically conducted on weekdays, are related to service use. However, greater diversity of natural areas close to home seemed to motivate older adults to engage in higher MVPA throughout the week.

Keywords: older people; physical activity; outdoor recreation; walking (motion); ability to move; residential environment; outdoor recreation areas