Older people's health, outdoor activity and supportiveness of neighbourhood environments

It has been found that the quality of neighbourhood environments is associated with people's health. However, research so far is not conclusive as to mechanisms through which neighbourhood environments contribute to health in late life. The present study aims to understand the mechanisms by examining the relationships between health, outdoor activity and the quality of neighbourhood environments. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from people over 65 living in Great Britain. A questionnaire was employed to obtain self-report measures of health status, time spent for walking and supportiveness of neighbourhood environments (SNE). Logistic regression analyses found that those who live in a supportive environment tended to walk more, and high-level walkers were more likely to be in good health. Analysis also indicated the association between SNE and health independent of activity. The results can be interpreted as showing that neighbourhood environments may contribute to older people's health in two ways. One is through the provision of opportunities to be active. The other way may be through the provision of places where people can meet with others and enjoy nature. The present study suggests that both the quantity and quality of outdoor activity are relevant to older people's health. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.