Walk Score<sup>®</sup> and Its Associations with Older Adults’ Health Behaviors and Outcomes

This study aimed to investigate the associations between Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup> and lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in older Taiwanese adults. A nationwide survey was conducted through telephone-based interviews with older adults (65 years and older) in Taiwan. Data on W...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yung Liao, Chien-Yu Lin, Ting-Fu Lai, Yen-Ju Chen, Bohyeon Kim, Jong-Hwan Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-02-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/4/622
Description
Summary:This study aimed to investigate the associations between Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup> and lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in older Taiwanese adults. A nationwide survey was conducted through telephone-based interviews with older adults (65 years and older) in Taiwan. Data on Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup>, lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, healthy eating behavior, alcohol use, and smoking status), health outcomes (overweight/obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), and personal characteristics were obtained from 1052 respondents. A binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was employed. None of the Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup> categories were related to the recommended levels of total physical activity. The categories &#8220;very walkable&#8222; and &#8220;walker&#8217;s paradise&#8222; were positively related to total sedentary time and TV viewing among older adults. No significant associations were found between Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup> and other lifestyle health behaviors or health outcomes. While Walk Score<sup>&#174;</sup> was not associated with recommended levels of physical activity, it was positively related to prolonged sedentary time in the context of a non-Western country. The different associations between the walk score and health lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in different contexts should be noted.
ISSN:1660-4601