Associations of Local Social Engagement and Environmental Attributes With Walking and Sitting Among Japanese Older Adults

in Journal of Aging and Physical Activity

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Akio Kubota
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Alison Carver
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Takemi Sugiyama
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2018-0321
Keywords:
community; neighborhood; physical activity; sedentary behavior; social activity
First Published Online:
18 Oct 2019
In Print:
Volume 28: Issue 2
Page Range:
187–193
Restricted access

This cross-sectional study examined associations of local social engagement with walking and sitting, and whether these associations were modified by local environmental attributes. Older residents (aged 65–84 years, n = 849), recruited from a regional city in Japan, reported walking frequency, sitting time, local social engagement, and local environmental attributes. Walk Score® was also used as an environmental measure. Analysis of data from 705 participants found that engaging in community activities was significantly associated with more frequent walking, but not with prolonged sitting. Interaction analyses between social engagement and environmental attributes did not show any significant interactions, suggesting that promoting local social engagement may increase walking frequency among older adults, regardless of local environmental characteristics. Community-level social initiatives that encourage older adults to participate in local meetings, events, and activities may be an effective physical activity promotion strategy among older adults.

Kubota is with the School of Physical Education, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Japan. Kubota, Carver, and Sugiyama are with the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Sugiyama is with the Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Kubota (ka092000@tsc.u-tokai.ac.jp) is corresponding author.
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