Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jun 14;17(12):4247. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17124247.
This study examined the longitudinal association between the change in the step count of older adults and the neighborhood-built environment (BE) in Yokohama, Japan. We analyzed pedometer data in March 2016 and March 2019 that were acquired from 21,557 older adults aged 65-79 years at baseline, who lived in 758 neighborhoods in Yokohama City and participated in the Yokohama Walking Point Program (YWPP). Six BE variables were computed, for each of which neighborhoods were classified into quartiles. Using multilevel regression analysis, we examined the association between the BE variables, baseline step count, and change in step count. Higher population density, lower intersection density, and the second shortest quartile of the average distance to the nearest railway station were associated with a higher baseline step count. A lower intersection density and shorter average distance to the nearest railway station were associated with a smaller decline. The lowest quartile of population density was inversely associated with step-count decline. In conclusion, the neighborhood BEs were not only associated with their step count at baseline, but also widened the disparity of the step count over the three years. These findings would contribute to creating age-friendly cities where older adults can maintain and promote their health.
本研究考察了日本横滨市老年人步数变化与邻里建成环境（BE）的纵向关联。我们分析了基线时年龄在 65-79 岁的 21557 名老年人在 2016 年 3 月和 2019 年 3 月的计步器数据，这些老年人居住在横滨市的 758 个街区，参加了横滨步行积分计划（YWPP）。计算了六个 BE 变量，每个变量都将街区分为四等份。使用多层次回归分析，我们考察了 BE 变量、基线步数和步数变化之间的关联。更高的人口密度、更低的交叉口密度和到最近火车站平均距离的第二短四分位数与较高的基线步数相关。较低的交叉口密度和较短的到最近火车站平均距离与较小的下降相关。人口密度的最低四分位数与步数下降呈负相关。总之，邻里建成环境不仅与他们的基线步数有关，而且还扩大了三年来的步数差距。这些发现将有助于创建对老年人友好的城市，使老年人能够保持和促进他们的健康。
