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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 w...

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Autores principales: Portegijs, Erja, Keskinen, Kirsi E., Tsai, Li-Tang, Rantanen, Taina, Rantakokko, Merja
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5369168/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28327543
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030333
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author Portegijs, Erja
Keskinen, Kirsi E.
Tsai, Li-Tang
Rantanen, Taina
Rantakokko, Merja
author_facet Portegijs, Erja
Keskinen, Kirsi E.
Tsai, Li-Tang
Rantanen, Taina
Rantakokko, Merja
author_sort Portegijs, Erja
collection PubMed
description 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 calculated from geographic information and categorized into tertiles. Accelerometer-based step counts were registered for one week (n = 174). Better walkability was associated with higher numbers of perceived environmental facilitators (p < 0.001) and higher physical activity (self-reported p = 0.021, step count p = 0.010). Especially among those with physical limitations, reporting more environmental facilitators was associated with higher odds for reporting at least moderate physical activity (p < 0.001), but not step counts. Perceived environmental facilitators only predicted self-reported physical activity at follow-up. To conclude, high walkability of the living environment provides opportunities for physical activity in old age, but among those with physical limitations especially, awareness of environmental facilitators may be needed to promote physical activity.
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spelling pubmed-53691682017-04-05 Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland Portegijs, Erja Keskinen, Kirsi E. Tsai, Li-Tang Rantanen, Taina Rantakokko, Merja Int J Environ Res Public Health Article 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 calculated from geographic information and categorized into tertiles. Accelerometer-based step counts were registered for one week (n = 174). Better walkability was associated with higher numbers of perceived environmental facilitators (p < 0.001) and higher physical activity (self-reported p = 0.021, step count p = 0.010). Especially among those with physical limitations, reporting more environmental facilitators was associated with higher odds for reporting at least moderate physical activity (p < 0.001), but not step counts. Perceived environmental facilitators only predicted self-reported physical activity at follow-up. To conclude, high walkability of the living environment provides opportunities for physical activity in old age, but among those with physical limitations especially, awareness of environmental facilitators may be needed to promote physical activity. MDPI 2017-03-22 2017-03 /pmc/articles/PMC5369168/ /pubmed/28327543 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030333 Text en © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Article
Portegijs, Erja
Keskinen, Kirsi E.
Tsai, Li-Tang
Rantanen, Taina
Rantakokko, Merja
Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title_full Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title_fullStr Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title_full_unstemmed Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title_short Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland
title_sort physical limitations, walkability, perceived environmental facilitators and physical activity of older adults in finland
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5369168/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28327543
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030333
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