Neighborhood Walkability Is Associated With Lower Burden of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Cancer Patients

Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors constitute a significant cause of cardiovascular disease and mortality among patients with cancer. Recent studies suggest a potential link between neighborhood walkability and favorable cardiovascular risk factor profiles in the general population.

This study aimed to investigate whether neighborhood walkability is correlated with favorable cardiovascular risk factor profiles among patients with a history of cancer.

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Houston Methodist Learning Health System Outpatient Registry (2016-2022) comprising 1,171,768 adults aged 18 years and older. Neighborhood walkability was determined using the 2019 Walk Score and divided into 4 categories. Patients with a history of cancer were identified through International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision-Clinical Modification codes (C00-C96). We examined the prevalence and association between modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia, and obesity) and neighborhood walkability categories in cancer patients.

The study included 121,109 patients with a history of cancer; 56.7% were female patients, and 68.8% were non-Hispanic Whites, with a mean age of 67.3 years. The prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors was lower among participants residing in the most walkable neighborhoods compared with those in the least walkable neighborhoods (76.7% and 86.0%, respectively). Patients with a history of cancer living in very walkable neighborhoods were 16% less likely to have any risk factor compared with car-dependent-all errands neighborhoods (adjusted OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78-0.92). Sensitivity analyses considering the timing of events yielded similar results.

Our findings demonstrate an association between neighborhood walkability and the burden of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among patients with a medical history of cancer. Investments in walkable neighborhoods may present a viable opportunity for mitigating the growing burden of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among patients with a history of cancer.