J Phys Act Health. 2018 Dec 1;15(12):888-894. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2017-0322. Epub 2018 Nov 21.
Older age groups are less likely than their younger counterparts to be regularly active and women are even less active. Ecological models suggest that multiple levels of influence with each level influencing the next level impacts physical activity behaviors.
Hierarchical multiple regressions were used to determine factors within and across the ecological model that predicted both total physical activity and walking for recreation.
The overall predictors of total physical activity were different than those of walking for recreation, with the exception of dog ownership and perceived barriers. Gender and age were significant predictors of walking for recreation, but these associations were not present for total physical activity. Women and older adults walked more for recreation in a mixed-use community, Mueller, (and thus engaged in more total physical activity) compared with men and younger adults.
Behavior-specific physical activity as well as total physical activity led to a better understanding of factors that may impact behavior among an overall aging population, especially women. This level of specificity is important in understanding specific factors that are associated with physical activity among vulnerable populations and can help guide the development of tailored, cost-effective, and efficient policies and interventions.
与年轻人相比，年龄较大的人群不太可能经常进行有规律的体育活动，而女性的活动量甚至更少。生态模式表明，多层次的影响，每个层次都会影响下一个层次，从而影响体育活动行为。
采用层次多元回归分析来确定生态模式内和跨生态模式的因素，以预测总体体力活动和娱乐性步行。
总体体力活动的总体预测因素与娱乐性步行的预测因素不同，除了养狗和感知障碍。性别和年龄是娱乐性步行的重要预测因素，但这些关联在总体体力活动中并不存在。与男性和年轻人相比，在混合用途社区 Mueller 中，女性和老年人更多地进行娱乐性步行（因此进行了更多的总体体力活动）。
特定行为的体力活动以及总体体力活动可以更好地了解可能影响总体老龄化人口行为的因素，尤其是女性。这种特定性水平对于理解与弱势群体相关的特定因素与体力活动有关非常重要，并且可以帮助指导制定有针对性、具有成本效益和高效率的政策和干预措施。
