TY - JOUR
T1 - Green space is associated with walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in middle-to-older-aged adults : findings from 203 883 Australians in the 45 and Up Study
AU - Astell-Burt, Thomas
AU - Feng, Xiaoqi
AU - Kolt, Gregory S.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: Green space is widely hypothesised to promote physical activity. Few studies, however, examine whether this is the case for walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). We investigated to what extent neighbourhood green space was associated with weekly participation and frequency of walking and MVPA in a large cross-sectional survey of Australian adults 45 years and older. Methods: Logit and negative binomial regression were used to estimate the degree of association between walking, MVPA and neighbourhood green space in a sample of 203 883 adults from the Australian 45 and Up Study. Walking and MVPA were measured using the Active Australia Survey. Green space was measured as a percentage of the total land-use within 1 km radius of residence. We controlled for a range of individual and neighbourhood characteristics. Results: 86.6% of the sample walked and 85.8% participated in MVPA at least once a week. These rates fell steeply with age. Compared with residents of neighbourhoods containing 0–20% green space, those in greener areas were significantly more likely to walk and participate in MVPAs at least once a week (trend for both p<0.001). Among those participating at least once a week, residents of neighbourhoods containing 80%+ green space participated with a greater frequency of walking (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13) and MVPA (IRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.15). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the amount of green space available to adults in middle-to-older age within their neighbourhood environments could help to promote walking and MVPA.
AB - Background: Green space is widely hypothesised to promote physical activity. Few studies, however, examine whether this is the case for walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). We investigated to what extent neighbourhood green space was associated with weekly participation and frequency of walking and MVPA in a large cross-sectional survey of Australian adults 45 years and older. Methods: Logit and negative binomial regression were used to estimate the degree of association between walking, MVPA and neighbourhood green space in a sample of 203 883 adults from the Australian 45 and Up Study. Walking and MVPA were measured using the Active Australia Survey. Green space was measured as a percentage of the total land-use within 1 km radius of residence. We controlled for a range of individual and neighbourhood characteristics. Results: 86.6% of the sample walked and 85.8% participated in MVPA at least once a week. These rates fell steeply with age. Compared with residents of neighbourhoods containing 0–20% green space, those in greener areas were significantly more likely to walk and participate in MVPAs at least once a week (trend for both p<0.001). Among those participating at least once a week, residents of neighbourhoods containing 80%+ green space participated with a greater frequency of walking (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13) and MVPA (IRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.15). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the amount of green space available to adults in middle-to-older age within their neighbourhood environments could help to promote walking and MVPA.
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/538730
U2 - 10.1136/bjsports- 2012-092006
DO - 10.1136/bjsports- 2012-092006
M3 - Article
SN - 1473-0480
SN - 0306-3674
VL - 48
SP - 404
EP - 406
JO - British Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine
IS - 5
ER -