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

How do the year's seasons and specific weather indices affect physical activity and the patterns of use of public open spaces in the Brazilian context?

BACKGROUND

Public open spaces (POS) can offer various resources to promote visitation and engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, the influence of seasonal variations and specific meteorological conditions on this relationship remains unclear. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effect of seasonal variations and specific meteorological elements on different days of the week and times of day on POS use and POS-based MVPA in the Brazilian context.

METHODS

In 2018, repeated measurements carried out in Southern Brazil used a systematic observation to identify the presence of users in the POS and their engagement in MVPA. The meteorological elements (temperature, thermal sensation, and relative humidity), as well as seasonality (summer, autumn, winter, and spring), were aggregated into the observations.

RESULTS

A total of 19,712 systematic observations were conducted across nine POS. During these observations, a total of 59,354 users were identified. Out of theses, 39,153 (66.0%) were engaged in POS-based MVPA. The presence of users was found to be more frequent during the spring season (38.7%) and on weekends (ranging from 37.6 to 50.1% across seasons). Additionally, user presence was higher in the late afternoon (ranging from 36.4 to 58.2% across seasons) and at higher temperatures with lower relative humidity (p-value < 0.001). Regarding POS-based MVPA, it was more frequent during the winter season (36.4%) and on weekdays (ranging from 73.2 to 79.9% across seasons). Similarly, MVPA was higher in the late afternoon (ranging from 58.3 to 67.5% across seasons) and at lower temperatures and thermal sensations (p-value < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher presence of users in POS, as well as their visiting, to practice POS-based MVPA, depending on the seasons and specific meteorological elements. By creating infrastructure and conducive conditions, cities can encourage individuals to adopt more active and healthy behaviors. These findings emphasize the importance of designing urban spaces that promote physical activity and contribute to overall well-being.

Hilly environment and frequency of going out-of-home among older adults: Examining moderating effect of driving status

AIM

The health benefits of "going out-of-home" frequently among older adults are well known. A hilly environment would inhibit this habit. This study examined (i) longitudinal associations between a hilly environment and the frequency of going out-of-home, and (ii) the moderating effect of driving status on their association among older adults.

METHODS

This study involved a longitudinal study design. Data on 856 older adults in Nada Ward, Kobe, Japan, was obtained from a three-wave questionnaire survey (Wave 1: December 2017 to January 2018; Wave 2: after 1 year; Wave 3: after 3 years). In each survey, the frequency of going out-of-home time was measured. The average land slope within 500 m network buffers of each participant's home was calculated as the index of the hilly environment. Driving status was also measured.

RESULTS

The latent growth model revealed that while a higher value of average land slope was not significantly associated with changes in the frequency of going out-of-home over time, it was significantly associated with a lower frequency of going out-of-home at the initial level. The interaction term in the latent growth model showed that driving status did not moderate the associations of the average land slope with the initial level of, and changes in, the frequency of going out-of-home.

CONCLUSIONS

Although it remains unclear whether a hilly environment would accelerate a decline in the frequency of going out-of-home over time, this study found that older adults living in a hilly environment were less likely to leave their homes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; ••: ••-••.