Direct and Indirect Associations Between the Built Environment and Leisure and Utilitarian Walking in Older Women

• DOI: 10.1007/s12160-016-9852-2
• Publication Date: 2016-11-02T19:58:27Z
• Authors: Philip J. Troped; Kosuke Tamura; Meghan H. McDonough; Heather A. Starnes; Peter James; Eran Ben-Joseph; Ellen Cromley; Robin Puett; Steven J. Melly; Francine Laden
• Keywords: Walkability; Health psychology; Level design; Bootstrapping (finance); Odds

The built environment predicts walking in older adults, but the degree to which associations between objective and for different purposes are mediated by environmental perceptions is unknown. We examined neighborhood leisure utilitarian mediation perceived among women. Women (N = 2732, Mage 72.8 ± 6.8 years) from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California completed a survey. Objective population intersection density of stores services variables were created within residential buffers. Perceived included measures land use mix, street connectivity, infrastructure walking, esthetics, traffic safety, personal safety. Regression bootstrapping used test indirect effects. population, stores/services, indirectly predicted via mix (odds ratios (ORs) 1.01–1.08, 95 % bias corrected accelerated confidence intervals do not include 1). stores/services directly ≥150 min (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02, 1.22). (ORs 1.16–1.44) esthetics 1.24–1.61) significantly purposes. Interventions adults should take into account how characteristics may influence walking.