Is the Relationship between Age and Utilitarian Walking Influenced by the Neighbourhood Built Environment?

Abstract

Background/Aim: Neighbourhood built environments provide opportunities to incorporate walking for transport (WfT) into daily activities, contributing to overall physical activity. Within the same city, the relationship between age and WfT can vary significantly across neighbourhoods; however, little is known about the reasons for this variation. This cross-sectional study investigates whether the neighbourhood built environment contributes to between-neighbourhood variation in the age-WfT relationship. Methods: This investigation used 2007 data from How Areas in Brisbane Influence HealTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) Study. The sample included 11,035 residents aged 40-65 years living in 200 neighborhood s in Brisbane, Australia (72.6% response rate). Self-reported minutes per week of WfR were categorised into none (0mins) and some (1-840mins); age was categorised into 40-48, 49-57 and 58-65 years. Objectively assessed neighbourhood level measures included residential density, street connectivity and land-use mix. Data were analysed using multilevel binomial logistic regression, adjusted for neighborhood self-selection, gender, socio-economic position and neighborhood disadvantage. Results: On average, older groups were less likely to walk for transport (OR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.77-0.96 for those aged 49-57 years and OR 0.73, 95% CrI 0.65-0.83 for those aged 58-65 years). The age-WfT relationship varied significantly across neighborhood s and the variation was larger in the older groups (about double). Residential density and street connectivity moderately explained the between-neighborhood variation in the age-WfT relationship. These reductions were not observed for land-use mix. Conclusions: Neighbourhood-level factors differentially influence the WfT behaviors of young and old individuals, with older groups being more sensitive. Residential density and street connectivity moderately contributed to the between-neighbourhood variation in the age-WfT relationship in Brisbane, while land-use mix did not. This research can inform the tailoring of multilevel interventions that increase WfT for all age groups everywhere, supporting healthy aging. Future research should investigate between-neighbourhood variation in walking behaviors in other urban contexts.