Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Relationship Between Neighborhood Environment and Physical Activity Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

To examine the associations between neighborhood environment-perceived neighborhood social cohesion and perceived neighborhood physical environment-and physical activity (PA) and whether these associations differ by race/ethnicity. We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal study of US adults aged 50+ from 2006 to 2014 ( = 17,974), using multivariate mixed-effects linear models. PA was repeatedly measured using metabolic equivalent of task estimated values accounting for the vigor and frequency of self-reported PA. In multivariate models, higher levels of PA were positively associated with higher rated neighborhood social cohesion and neighborhood physical environment scores. The effects of social cohesion were stronger among non-Hispanic Whites than among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latinx participants, while race/ethnicity did not moderate the association between PA and physical environment. Intervention strategies that address social and physical barriers of neighborhoods could promote PA in older adults. Key implications for future research are discussed.