Neighborhood Walkability Research Articles

Sleep deserts: a key determinant of sleep inequities.

Sleep deserts: a key determinant of sleep inequities.

The associations between pro-environment behaviours, sustainability knowingness, and neighbourhood walkability among residents of Accra Metro in Ghana: A cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundPhysical activities such as walking are a form of transportation in the neighbourhood; people reach their destinations through walking. Research to date has substantially evidenced the beneficial effects of walking and other physical activities on health outcomes. From these perspectives, neighbourhood walkability and behaviours that improve it play a crucial role in healthy transportation. AimTo assess the associations between pro-environment behaviours (i.e., socially responsible consumption (SRC) and pro-environment behaviour (PEB)) and neighbourhood walkability, and to ascertain whether these relationships are moderated by sustainability knowingness. MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional design with sensitivity analysis and recommended steps against common methods bias. The participants were residents in the Accra Metropolitan Area (Accra Metro), Ghana. Self-reported questionnaires were used to gather data from 625 residents. Exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression analysis were used to present the results. ResultsPEB and SRC had a positive association with neighbourhood walkability, with the latter having a stronger association with neighbourhood walkability. The relationship between these behaviours and neighbourhood walkability was significantly strengthened by sustainability knowingness. ConclusionHigher neighbourhood walkability was associated with higher SRC and PEB, which means that residents can contribute to improved neighbourhood walkability with their pro-environment behaviours. Residents’ sustainability knowingness or their knowledge about sustainability and its importance can enhance the positive influence of pro-environment behaviours on neighbourhood walkability.

Spatiotemporal trends and socioecological factors associated with Lyme disease in eastern Ontario, Canada from 2010\u20132017

Currently, there is limited knowledge about socioeconomic, neighbourhood, and local ecological factors that contribute to the growing Lyme disease incidence in the province of Ontario, Canada. In this study, we sought to identify these factors that play an important role at the local scale, where people are encountering ticks in their communities. We used reported human Lyme disease case data and tick surveillance data submitted by the public from 2010–2017 to analyze trends in tick exposure, spatiotemporal clusters of infection using the spatial scan statistic and Local Moran’s I statistic, and socioecological risk factors for Lyme disease using a multivariable negative binomial regression model. Data were analyzed at the smallest geographic unit, consisting of 400–700 individuals, for which census data are disseminated in Canada. We found significant heterogeneity in tick exposure patterns based on location of residence, with 65.2% of Lyme disease patients from the city of Ottawa reporting tick exposures outside their health unit of residence, compared to 86.1%—98.1% of patients from other, largely rural, health units, reporting peri-domestic exposures. We detected eight spatiotemporal clusters of human Lyme disease incidence in eastern Ontario, overlapping with three clusters of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks. When adjusting for population counts, Lyme disease case counts increased with larger numbers of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks submitted by the public, higher proportion of treed landcover, lower neighbourhood walkability due to fewer intersections, dwellings, and points of interest, as well as with regions of higher residential instability and lower ethnic concentration (Relative Risk [RR] = 1.25, 1.02, 0.67–0.04, 1.34, and 0.57, respectively, p < .0001). Our study shows that there are regional differences in tick exposure patterns in eastern Ontario and that multiple socioecological factors contribute to Lyme disease risk in this region.

Neighborhood Walking and Social Connectedness.

Neighborhood social ties matter crucially, especially during stressful life events like a global pandemic, for they represent vital sources of wellbeing and community capacity. Activities that enable community members to engage in incidental sociability and acts of “neighboring”—that is, authentic social interactions with their neighbors—warrant attention from sport and active living researchers because of their potential to bolster the social fabric of our neighborhoods and facilitate neighbors' access to important resources, such as information, material resources, and social support. Though perhaps dismissed as trivial, neighborhood walking represents a valuable and underappreciated everyday activity that fits this description, especially in an age characterized by an epidemic of social isolation and loneliness. Despite its vast potential to address the quasi-anonymity of urban life, neighborhood walking remains surprisingly underexamined as a facilitator for fostering social connectedness, the sense of connection and social bond people feel toward others. The goal of this manuscript, therefore, is to establish the conceptual grounding for how neighborhood walking strengthens social ties among neighbors to facilitate access to important coping resources. In doing so, it aims to advance a research agenda on walking that moves beyond the benefits of physical activity.

The changing context of walking behavior: coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic in urban neighborhoods

PurposeIt is observed that the COVID-19 Pandemic mostly restricts people's movement and walking habits. In this direction, this study aims to highlight how the walking behaviors of individuals affected in different geographies' neighborhoods before and during the Pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and the changing walking behavior of 24 sample regions (514 participants) with the highest incidents of COVID-19 infection from American, European, Asian, Western Pacific, African and Middle Eastern cities. The paper's methodology is supported by an /online questionnaire survey conducted in these 24 disparate neighborhoods in December 2020.FindingsFindings show that “walkable access” varies over geographies during the Pandemic. Urban amenities within 15–20 min of access become more important than ever. The results unravel that either walkable or non-walkable neighborhoods showcased similarities despite that urban amenities were not within 15–20 min of access. Three prominent aspects should be emphasized to plan walkable neighborhoods: providing walkable access, forming spatial proximity and sustaining social cohesion.Social implicationsThe availability of daily amenities, such as shopping stores, health care, education services and pharmacies within a 15–20-min walking distance maintain everyday life and increase social interactions. In addition, places with walkable access encourage an active lifestyle and contribute the public health. The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic movement restrictions on the walking behavior of individuals highlights how the qualities of distance-based urban planning need to be supported with time-based practical attributes that can shape neighborhood planning frameworks.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the coexistence of “walkability” and “accessibility” measures in urban practice and research to create resilient and sustainable neighborhoods. The “walkable access” term used in the paper addresses joint measures of walkability and accessibility.

Affective response to physical activity as a deep phenotype in a non-randomized pilot study

Large-scale genomic studies are beginning to identify genetic predictors of physical activity (PA). For those genetically predisposed to engage in low PA, a behavioral intervention may target a malleable factor that mediates genetic predisposition to low PA (i.e., intermediate phenotype) to mitigate the genetic influences. In a non-randomized exercise promotion pilot study, we test the feasibility of examining affective response to PA (how one feels during PA) as an intermediate phenotype between genetic variation and PA adherence. We hypothesized that three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs8044769 and rs3751812 in FTO; rs6265 in BDNF), identified from a prior systematic review, would be predictive of affective response to PA, and that affective response to PA would mediate the SNP-PA link. Forty five healthy, low-active adults received a 12-week print-based PA promotion program. Baseline affective response to PA was assessed using the Feeling Scale, a single-item measure of affective valence. Moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was assessed using accelerometers pre- and post-intervention. We examined the three SNPs in a weighted genetic score. Age, sex, body mass index, race, and neighborhood walkability were potential covariates. Affective response to PA and MVPA at follow-up (minutes/day over 4–7 days) were regressed on variation in SNPs, controlling for covariates. One unit increase in genetic score was associated with a 0.14 higher mean Feeling Scale, though was not statistically significant (p = 0.13). Among individual SNPs, having an additional FTO rs8044769 C allele was associated with a mean Feeling Scale score of 0.53 units higher (p = 0.015), which was statistically significant after applying the corrected p-value of 0.016. The genetic score or individual SNPs were not predictive of MVPA 12 weeks later, thereby mediation analyses were not performed. The preliminary findings demonstrate the promise of the intermediate phenotype approach.

Joint associations between neighborhood walkability, greenness, and particulate air pollution on cardiovascular mortality among adults with a history of stroke or acute myocardial infarction.

Background:Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Neighborhood walkability and greenness may also be associated with CVD, but there is limited evidence on their joint or interacting effects with PM2.5.Methods:Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of CVD mortality among adults with a history of acute myocardial infarction and/or stroke living in Northern California. We assessed the independent and joint effects of walkability, greenness (Normalized Differentiated Vegetation Index [NDVI]), and PM2.5 at residential addresses, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, comorbidities, BMI, smoking, revascularization, medications, and socioeconomic status.Results:Greenness had a nonlinear association with CVD mortality (P = 0.038), with notably protective effects (HR = 0.87 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 0.78, 0.97]) at higher greenness levels (NDVI ≥ 0.3) and moderate attenuation after adjusting for PM2.5 (HR = 0.92 [95% CI = 0.82, 1.03]) per 0.1 increase in NDVI. Walkability had no independent effect on CVD mortality. PM2.5 had a strong independent effect in models adjusted for greenness and walkability (HR = 1.20 [95% CI = 1.08, 1.33)) per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5. There was an interaction between walkability and PM2.5 (P = 0.037), where PM2.5 had slightly stronger associations in more walkable than less walkable neighborhoods (HR = 1.23 [95% CI = 1.06, 1.42] vs. 1.17 [95% CI = 1.04, 1.32]) per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5. Greenness had no interaction with PM2.5 (P = 0.768) nor walkability (P = 0.385).Conclusions:High greenness may be protective of CVD mortality among adults with CVD history. PM2.5 associated CVD mortality risk varies slightly by level of neighborhood walkability, though these small differences may not be clinically meaningful.

Pathways from Built Environment to Health Care Costs: Linking Objectively Measured Built Environment with Physical Activity and Health Care Expenditures

Evidence connecting health care expenditures with physical activity and built environment is rare. We examined how detailed urban form relates to mode specific moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and health care costs—controlling for transit access, residential choices/preferences, sociodemographic factors. We harness high resolution data for 476 participants in the Rails and Health study on health care costs, mode specific MVPA, parcel-level built environment, and neighborhood perception surveys. To account for dependencies among outcomes, structural equation modeling framework is used. A 1% increase in bike, walk, and transit-related MVPA was associated with lower health care costs by −0.28%, −0.09%, and −0.27% respectively. A one-unit increase in neighborhood walkability index correlates with a 6.48% reduction in health care costs. Indirect associations between residential choices, attitudes, and health outcomes through MVPA were also observed. The results suggest the potential to alter behaviors and lower health care costs through retrofitting neighborhoods.

Unintended Consequences? The Effects of Neighbourhood Walkability on Crime in Nine US Cities

AbstractThe criminological literature suggests that neighbourhood walkability might produce unintended consequences, namely that walkability is associated with higher crime rates because it affords potential offenders an abundance of weakly guarded targets. To address this proposition, we investigate linear and nonlinear effects of walkability using a sample of block groups located across nine US cities. Results from our negative binomial regression models show that an index of walkability is associated with higher crime rates and that these effects are robust across cities. We also estimate crime models that test the main effects of the four indicators which comprise the walkability index, because of the recognition that certain dimensions of walkability might have a greater impact on crime.

Impact of land use and food environment on risk of type 2 diabetes: A national study of veterans, 2008–2018

BackgroundLarge-scale longitudinal studies evaluating influences of the built environment on risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) are scarce, and findings have been inconsistent. ObjectiveTo evaluate whether land use environment (LUE), a proxy of neighborhood walkability, is associated with T2D risk across different US community types, and to assess whether the association is modified by food environment. MethodsThe Veteran's Administration Diabetes Risk (VADR) study is a retrospective cohort of diabetes-free US veteran patients enrolled in VA primary care facilities nationwide from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2016, and followed longitudinally through December 31, 2018. A total of 4,096,629 patients had baseline addresses available in electronic health records that were geocoded and assigned a census tract-level LUE score. LUE scores were divided into quartiles, where a higher score indicated higher neighborhood walkability levels. New diagnoses for T2D were identified using a published computable phenotype. Adjusted time-to-event analyses using piecewise exponential models were fit within four strata of community types (higher-density urban, lower-density urban, suburban/small town, and rural). We also evaluated effect modification by tract-level food environment measures within each stratum. ResultsIn adjusted analyses, higher LUE had a protective effect on T2D risk in rural and suburban/small town communities (linear quartile trend test p-value <0.001). However, in lower density urban communities, higher LUE increased T2D risk (linear quartile trend test p-value <0.001) and no association was found in higher density urban communities (linear quartile trend test p-value = 0.317). Particularly strong protective effects were observed for veterans living in suburban/small towns with more supermarkets and more walkable spaces (p-interaction = 0.001). ConclusionAmong veterans, LUE may influence T2D risk, particularly in rural and suburban communities. Food environment may modify the association between LUE and T2D.

Associations between social support provided and walkability among older adults: Health self-consciousness as a moderator

BackgroundThe social support provided or given to others play a key role in healthy ageing. Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that walkable neighbourhoods can positively influence social support given. Higher health self-consciousness may strengthen the positive association between walkability and social support provided. AimThis study investigated whether the association between walkability and social support provided is moderated by health self-consciousness. MethodsA cross-sectional design with sensitivity analysis and recommended procedures against common methods bias was employed. The study's population was community-dwelling older adults living in Accra, Ghana. Data from 923 participants were analysed using the hierarchical linear regression analysis. FindingsThe study found a positive association between walkability and social support provided after adjusting for the ultimate confounding variables. Health self-consciousness positively moderated the association between walkability and social support provided. ConclusionThe study concludes that social support provided in older adults may be higher in more walkable neighbourhoods. Health self-consciousness can enhance the contribution of walkability to social support provided. Our results reinforce the importance of campaigns aimed at improving walkability of neighbourhoods.

People with disabilities and use of public transit: The role of neighborhood walkability

This study examines the links between neighborhood walkability and transit use with a focus on the differences between disabled individuals and others. Using the detailed individual-level data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey-California Add-on (2017 NHTS-CA), we develop a walkability index using the z-scores of net residential density, street connectivity, and land use mix within a ¼ mile radius of one's residential location. We employ a negative binomial regression model to analyze the determinants of individuals' transit use with consideration of a travel-limiting disability. Some key findings are as follows. First, disabled individuals tend to have more frequencies of transit use than their non-disabled counterparts. Second, individuals living in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to use transit in general. Third, after controlling for various other factors, non-worker disabled individuals are less likely to use public transit than others. Lastly, higher levels of walkability are positively associated with transit use of disabled individuals than others. This indicates that enhancing neighborhood walkability has a much larger effect on disabled individuals than their non-disabled counterparts.

Simulated nature walks improve psychological well-being along a natural to urban continuum

Compared to urban environments, interactions with natural environments have been associated with several health benefits including psychological restoration and improved emotional well-being. However, dichotomizing environments as either natural or urban may emphasize between-category differences and minimize potentially important within-category variation (e.g., forests versus fields of crops; neighborhoods versus city centers). Therefore, the current experiment assessed how viewing brief videos of different environments, ranging along a continuum from stereotypically natural to stereotypically urban, influenced subjective ratings of mood, restoration, and well-being. Participants (n = 202) were randomly assigned to one of four video conditions, which depicted a simulated walk through a pine forest, a farmed field, a tree-lined urban neighborhood, or a bustling city center. Immediately before and after the videos, participants rated their current emotional states. Participants additionally rated the perceived restorativeness of the video. The results supported the idea that the virtual walks differentially influenced affect and perceived restoration, even when belonging to the same nominal category of natural or urban. The pine forest walk significantly improved happiness relative to both urban walks, whereas the farmed field walk did not. The bustling city center walk decreased feelings of calmness compared to all other walks, including the tree-lined neighborhood walk. The walks also differed on the perceived restorativeness measure of daydreaming in a graded fashion; however, the farmed field walk was found to be less fascinating than all other walks, including both urban walks. Taken together, these results suggest that categorizing environments as “natural versus urban” may gloss over meaningful within-category variability regarding the restorative potential of different physical environments.

Objectively measured physical activity was not associated with neighborhood walkability attributes in community-dwelling patients with stroke

Although the built environment may affect physical activity, there is little evidence on how neighborhood walkability attributes influence post-stroke physical activity. This study aimed to explore associations between objectively measured physical activity and neighborhood walkability attributes in community-dwelling patients with stroke. This cross-sectional study recruited patients who could ambulate outside free of assistance. We assessed objectively measured physical activity comprising the number of steps taken and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with an accelerometer. Neighborhood walkability attributes were evaluated using the Walk Score. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine whether the Walk Score was independently associated with the number of steps taken or MVPA. Eighty participants with a mean age of 65.9 ± 11.1 years were included. The participants took an average of 5900.6 ± 2947.3 steps/day and spent an average of 19.7 ± 21.7 min/day in MVPA. The mean Walk Score was 71.4 ± 17.2. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that no significant associations were found between the Walk Score and the number of steps taken or MVPA. No associations were found between objectively measured physical activity and neighborhood walkability attributes in community-dwelling patients with stroke in an Asian area.

Walkable Neighborhoods and Cognition: Implications for the Design of Health Promoting Communities.

Objective: This study seeks to examine neighborhood characteristics, physical activity, and health status and their roles in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Methods: Using data from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS) study (N=10,289, mean age=73.4 years), we used multilevel linear regression to examine the relationships between walkable neighborhoods (both objectively measured and subjective perceptions), walking behavior, physical activity, health status, and cognitive function. Results: Engaging in any moderate physical activity (β=0.47, p < 0.001), having better health status (β=0.02, p < 0.001), living in neighborhoods with greater street connectivity (β=0.15, p < 0.05), and positive perceptions of neighborhood traffic (p < 0.01) and parks (p < 0.05), were associated with higher cognitive function. Residence in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods (β=-0.01, p < 0.01) was negatively associated with cognitive function. Discussion: Both perceived and objective features of walkable environments may have consequences for cognitive health, and can inform the development of health promoting communities.

Neighbourhood walkability and mortality: Findings from a 15-year follow-up of a nationally representative cohort of Canadian adults in urban areas.

Using a nationally representative cohort of Canadian adults, we assessed associations between neighbourhood walkability and cause-specific mortality and investigated whether they differed by socioeconomic status. The study population was drawn from the 2001 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort, which contains individual-level data from a random sample of 20% of Canadian households mandated to complete the long-form census. We included those aged≥25years at baseline who lived in urban and suburban areas. The national death registry was used to ascertain annual vital status. Linkages to annual income tax data provided place of residence. The Canadian Active Living Environments, a national index that summarizes walkability across Canadian neighbourhoods, was assigned to individuals' residential history. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess associations between walkability and cause-specific mortality. A total of 1.8 million participants (52.5% female) accrued 27.3 million person-years and 265 710 deaths during the 15-year follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for living in a highly walkable neighbourhood relative to living in the least walkable neighbourhoods was associated with a 9% (HR: 0.91 [0.88, 0.95]) and 3% (HR: 0.97 [0.94, 0.99]) reduced risk of cardiovascular and all non-accidental mortality, respectively. The strongest benefits of walkability were found among individuals within the lowest education and household income categories, and who lived in the most deprived neighbourhoods. There were no significant associations (most [class 5] versus least [class 1] walkable HR: 0.84 [0.61-1.16]) seen for accidental traffic mortality. Canadian adults who live in walkable neighbourhoods have lower rates of cardiovascular and non-accidental mortality, with the greatest benefits seen in those from the lowest socioeconomic groups.

Neighbourhood walkability as a moderator of the associations between older Ghanaians’ social activity, and the frequency of walking for transportation: A cross-sectional study with sensitivity analyses

ObjectiveTo evaluate the associations between walking frequency and social activity as well as the potential moderating role of walkability in these relationships. MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional design with a sensitivity analysis and techniques against common methods bias. The study population was community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or more. A total of 927 older adults participated in the study after G*Power 3.1.9.4 was used to calculate the minimum sample size required for the study. A hierarchical linear regression (HLR) analysis was used to analyse the data. ResultsOlder adults who walked ‘many times’ to socialize reported higher social activity than their peers who walked ‘sometimes’ or less frequently. Older adults who walked ‘sometimes’, ‘many times’ and ‘always’ for economic reasons reported higher social activity than their peers who did not walk at all. Neighborhood walkability positively moderated the association between at least one indicator of walking and social activity. ConclusionFrequent walking may better contribute to social activity among seniors in more walkable neighborhoods. Community design interventions aimed at enhancing walkability can encourage walking and social activity among seniors.

A longitudinal examination of objective neighborhood walkability, body mass index, and waist circumference: the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study

BackgroundStudies have shown neighborhood walkability is associated with obesity. To advance this research, study designs involving longer follow-up, broader geographic regions, appropriate neighborhood characterization, assessment of exposure length and severity, and consideration of stayers and movers are needed. Using a cohort spanning the conterminous United States, this study examines the longitudinal relationship between a network buffer-derived, duration-weighted neighborhood walkability measure and two adiposity-related outcomes.MethodsThis study included 12,846 Black/African American and White adults in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were assessed at baseline and up to 13.3 years later (M (SD) = 9.4 (1.0) years). BMI and WC were dichotomized. Walk Score® was duration-weighted based on time at each address and categorized as Very Car-Dependent, Car-Dependent, Somewhat Walkable, Very Walkable, and Walker’s Paradise. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models tested each neighborhood walkability-adiposity association. Adjusted models controlled for demographics, health factors, neighborhood socioeconomic status, follow-up time, and either baseline BMI or baseline WC. Adjusted models also tested for interactions. Post-estimation Wald tests examined whether categorical variables had coefficients jointly equal to zero. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts tested for a linear trend in the neighborhood walkability-adiposity relationships.ResultsThe odds of being overweight/obese at follow-up were lower for residents with duration-weighted Walk Score® values in the Walker’s Paradise range and residents with values in the Very Walkable range compared to residents with values in the Very Car-Dependent range. Residents with duration-weighted Walk Score® values classified as Very Walkable had significantly lower odds of having a moderate-to-high risk WC at follow-up relative to those in the Very Car-Dependent range. For both outcomes, the effects were small but meaningful. The negative linear trend was significant for BMI but not WC.ConclusionPeople with cumulative neighborhood walkability scores in the Walker’s Paradise range were less likely to be overweight/obese independent of other factors, while people with scores in the Very Walkable range were less likely to be overweight/obese and less likely to have a moderate-to-high risk WC. Addressing neighborhood walkability is one approach to combating obesity.

Assessing and Qualifying Neighborhood Walkability for Older Adults: Construction and Initial Testing of a Multivariate Spatial Accessibility Model.

Population aging and urban development pose major challenges for societies today. Joining the literature assessing urban accessibility, the present exploratory research developed a multivariate accessibility model based on four independent variables—related to formal and structural urban space—that influence walkability for older adults (pedestrian network; facilities and shops; public benches; and slopes and gradients). The model used ArcGIS software. For the accessibility calculations, we selected two suburban neighborhoods in the conurbation of Grenoble (France) and selected three types of older adults’ profiles to reflect the variety of aging: an older adult in good health, an older adult with a chronic disease, and an older adult with reduced mobility. The results suggest that the accessibility of a neighborhood depends not only on its physical and urban characteristics, but it is also influenced by the physical and health characteristics of its inhabitants. The originality of the model lies mainly in its ability to estimate the spatial accessibility of a territory by taking into account, firstly, objective data such as the physical characteristics and the built environment of the neighborhood through objectification variables that consider such original variables as the presence of benches or the slopes and gradients and, secondly, specific data such as the physical and/or health characteristics of the study population. The measurement of geospatial accessibility could be of great value for public health in urban contexts, which is why relevant tools and methodologies are needed to objectively examine and intervene in public spaces in order to make them age-friendly.

Association between neighborhood walkability and social participation in community-dwelling older adults in Japan: A cross-sectional analysis of the keeping active across generations uniting the youth and the aged study.

This study investigated neighborhood walkability using Walk Score® and social participation in districts within a city among older Japanese adults. This study was a cross-sectional study using baseline data of older adults from the Keeping Active across Generations Uniting the Youth and the Aged study. In total, 2750 participants (1361 men and 1389 women, mean age 72.8± 6.4 years) were included in the analysis. The questionnaire included socioeconomic status, self-rated health, medical history, depressive symptoms, instrumental activities of daily living and social participation. We used the Walk Score® as neighborhood walkability and a walk score <50 was categorized as a "car-dependent" area and a score ≥50 as a "walkable" area. A Poisson regression analysis stratified by sex was performed to investigate the association of neighborhood walkability with social participation. Prevalence ratios were calculated and their 95% confidence intervals. We found that dwelling in car-dependent areas (prevalence ratio 0.78, 95% confidence interval 0.64-0.94) had a significant negative effect on women's social participation, unlike men. Our study showed that neighborhood walkability and social participation were associated with older Japanese women after adjusting for the covariates. These findings might provide helpful information for public health interventions targeted to promote social participation among older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 350-359.