Neighborhood Environment Attributes are Associated With Disparities in Walking by Exercise Preference

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Investigated the link between neighborhood environments and walking disparities.
• Focused on how exercise preference influences these disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and walking behavior.
• To understand how these relationships differ based on an individual's preference for exercise.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide cross-sectional study of 40,423 Japanese adults (2021).
• Assessed neighborhood environments using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environmental Module.
• Analyzed walking time (leisure and utilitarian) and disparities using multivariable logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Nearly half of participants disliked exercise.
• Walkability attributes, except safety, positively associated with walking regardless of exercise preference.
• Access to amenities and recreational facilities showed differential associations with utilitarian and leisure walking, creating disparities.

Conclusions:

• Activity-friendly neighborhoods may reduce disparities in utilitarian walking.
• Neighborhood design can influence walking behavior and equity across different exercise preferences.