背景:在老年人中,散步是一种流行和普遍的活动。步行是提高身体活动水平和身心健康的关键。在人口迅速老龄化的背景下,重要的是要更好地了解哪些因素与老年人的步行有关,基于健康的社会生态模式。
方法:我们使用了来自理解社会(n:6450)的数据,一项针对居住在英国的65岁及以上的英国成年人的国家小组调查。根据个人计算老年人每周步行小时数的坡度不平等指数(SII),社会和地区特征。这些包括健康,孤独和社会孤立,以前的步行和体育活动,住宅自选,与邻居接触,亲密朋友和社交活动的数量。空间区域级数据描述了当地犯罪,适行性,靠近零售,绿地,和公共交通设施。
结果:多变量模型表明健康状况不佳,特别是需要帮助走路,是每周步行小时数的最强预测指标(SII(95%CI)比较需要帮助的人与没有帮助:-3.58(-4.30,-2.87))。然而,之前的体育活动(大多数与最不活跃:2.30(1.75,2.88))和散步乐趣(是的vs.编号:1.92(1.32,2.53))与几年后步行增加密切相关。同样有亲密的朋友(大多数与最少,1.18(0.72、1.77))和本地零售目的地(任何与无:0.93(0.00,1.86))与每周步行更多相关。
结论:过去参加体育锻炼和散步是老年人散步行为的有力预测因素,强调在整个生命周期中实施和维持步行干预措施的重要性,以确保在以后的几年中继续参与以及相关的健康益处。然而,健康状况不佳严重阻碍了这个人群的行走,强调需要提供物质援助和社会支持的干预措施来促进这项活动。
BACKGROUND: Among older people,
walking is a popular and prevalent activity.
Walking is key to increasing physical activity levels and resulting physical and mental health. In the context of rapidly ageing populations, it is important to better understand what factors are associated with
walking among older people, based on the socioecological model of health.
METHODS: We used data from Understanding Society (n:6450), a national panel survey of UK adults aged 65 years and over living in Great Britain. Slope Indices of Inequality (SII) were calculated for weekly
walking hours for older people according to individual, social and area characteristics. These include health, loneliness and social isolation, previous walking and sporting activity, residential self-selection, contact with neighbours, number of close friends and social activity. Spatial area-level data described local area crime, walkability, and proximity to retail, greenspace, and public transport amenities.
RESULTS: Multivariable models indicated that poor health, particularly requiring help with walking, was the strongest predictor of weekly walking hours (SII (95% CI) comparing those needing help vs. no help: -3.58 (-4.30, -2.87)). However, both prior sporting activity (most vs. least active: 2.30 (1.75, 2.88)) and walking for pleasure (yes vs. no: 1.92 (1.32, 2.53)) were strongly associated with increased walking several years later. Similarly having close friends (most vs. fewest, 1.18 (0.72, 1.77)) and local retail destinations (any vs. none: 0.93 (0.00, 1.86)) were associated with more weekly walking.
CONCLUSIONS: Past engagement in physical activity and walking for pleasure are strong predictors of
walking behaviour in older people, underscoring the importance of implementing and sustaining
walking interventions across the lifespan to ensure continued engagement in later years and the associated health benefits. However, poor health significantly impedes walking in this demographic, emphasising the need for interventions that offer both physical assistance and social support to promote this activity.