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Published on: March 7, 2019
Examining correlates of self-reported and objectively measured physical activity among retirement village residents
Andrea Nathan1, Lisa Wood, Billie Giles-Corti
1Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Aim:
Physical activity (PA) patterns of retirement village residents were investigated using self-report and objective measures.
Methods:
Residents (n = 323) from retirement villages in Perth, Australia, were surveyed on PA behaviour and various demographic, residency, health-related and mobility factors. Most participants wore accelerometers for 7 days. Retirement village managers (n = 32) were surveyed on village descriptive characteristics, including the provision of amenities and facilities. Logistic regression models examined village and resident characteristics associated with PA.
Results:
Based on objective measurement, only 27.1% of participants were sufficiently active (n = 288). Walking was one of the most popular PA modes. Few village characteristics were associated with PA; however, villages located in more walkable neighbourhoods increased participants' odds of transport walking. Travelling outside the village daily also increased PA odds.
Conclusions:
Most residents were insufficiently active to gain health benefits. Considering individual and environmental factors, within the retirement village and neighbourhood settings, and associations with PA, warrants attention.
