IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i5p836-d142879.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Relationship between Urbanization, the Built Environment, and Physical Activity among Older Adults in Taiwan

Author

Listed:
  • Nuan-Ching Huang

    (Department of Urban Planning, College of Planning & Design, National Cheng Kung University, No.1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan)

  • Shiann-Far Kung

    (Department of Urban Planning, College of Planning & Design, National Cheng Kung University, No.1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan)

  • Susan C. Hu

    (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No.1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan)

Abstract

Urbanization and ageing are global phenomena and offer unique challenges in different countries. A supportive environment plays a critical role in addressing the issue of behavioral change and health promotion among older adults. Many studies in the U.S., EU, and Australia have considered promoting physical activity in the community based on ecological models, whereas very few Asian studies have examined the relationships among urbanization, the built environment and physical activity in elderly at the ecological level, especially from a multi-level perspective. Due to the prevalence of post-war baby boomers and a very low birth-rate, the older population (aged 65 years old and older) in Taiwan has increased rapidly since 2011 and has exceeded the younger generation (0–14 years old) in 2017. Hence, the purpose of this study was first to examine the degree of urbanization in townships and the status of related built environments in Taiwan and then to investigate whether the built environment is associated with recommended amounts of physical activity among older adults. Three national datasets and a multi-level design were used in this research. Data at the individual level was obtained from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) which was taken from June 2009 to February 2010. Ecological data was obtained from the 2006 National Land Use Investigation of the National Geographic Information System and the 2010 Population and Housing Census. The analyses included a descriptive analysis, a bivariate analysis, a multiple logistic regression, and a multi-level analysis, utilizing a mostly hierarchical linear model (HLM). The results showed a significant relationship between factors at the environmental levels and physical activity in older adults. Urbanization, the built environment, and the median income of townships were positively correlated to the physical activity of the older adults. After controlling for individual-level factors, urbanization still exhibited this correlation. Parks and green spaces were associated with achieving the recommended amount of physical activity. However, there was no relationship after controlling for factors at the individual level. Detailed discussions were provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Nuan-Ching Huang & Shiann-Far Kung & Susan C. Hu, 2018. "The Relationship between Urbanization, the Built Environment, and Physical Activity among Older Adults in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:5:p:836-:d:142879
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/5/836/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/5/836/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Saelens, B.E. & Sallis, J.F. & Black, J.B. & Chen, D., 2003. "Neighborhood-Based Differences in Physical Activity: An Environment Scale Evaluation," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1552-1558.
    2. Frank Dunstan & David L Fone & Myer Glickman & Stephen Palmer, 2013. "Objectively Measured Residential Environment and Self-Reported Health: A Multilevel Analysis of UK Census Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(7), pages 1-7, July.
    3. Berke, E.M. & Koepsell, T.D. & Moudon, A.V. & Hoskins, R.E. & Larson, E.B., 2007. "Association of the built environment with physical activity and obesity in older persons," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(3), pages 486-492.
    4. Moses Wong & Pui Hing Chau & Francis Cheung & David R Phillips & Jean Woo, 2015. "Comparing the Age-Friendliness of Different Neighbourhoods Using District Surveys: An Example from Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Sallis, James F. & Saelens, Brian E. & Frank, Lawrence D. & Conway, Terry L. & Slymen, Donald J. & Cain, Kelli L. & Chapman, James E. & Kerr, Jacqueline, 2009. "Neighborhood built environment and income: Examining multiple health outcomes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1285-1293, April.
    6. Kaczynski, A.T. & Potwarka, L.R. & Saelens P, B.E., 2008. "Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1451-1456.
    7. Ross, Catherine E., 2000. "Walking, exercising, and smoking: does neighborhood matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 265-274, July.
    8. Sara Wilcox & Melissa Bopp & Larissa Oberrecht & Sandra K. Kammermann & Charles T. McElmurray, 2003. "Psychosocial and Perceived Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity in Rural and Older African American and White Women," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(6), pages 329-337.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jie Tang & Nanqian Chen & Hailun Liang & Xu Gao, 2022. "The Effect of Built Environment on Physical Health and Mental Health of Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-21, May.
    2. Meredith Perry & Lucy Cotes & Benjamin Horton & Rebecca Kunac & Isaac Snell & Blake Taylor & Abbey Wright & Hemakumar Devan, 2021. "“Enticing” but Not Necessarily a “Space Designed for Me”: Experiences of Urban Park Use by Older Adults with Disability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Chih-Ching Liu & Chung-Yi Li & Shiann-Far Kung & Hsien-Wen Kuo & Nuan-Ching Huang & Yu Sun & Susan C. Hu, 2019. "Association of Environmental Features and the Risk of Alzheimer’s Dementia in Older Adults: A Nationwide Longitudinal Case-Control Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Chi-Hsuan Tsai & Yu-Chen Kao & Yin-Ju Lien, 2020. "The Relationship between Individual-Level and Context-Level Factors and Social Distancing from Patients with Depression in Taiwan: A Multilevel Analysis of National Surveys," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-14, September.
    5. Fangfang Hou & Xiao Han & Qiong Wang & Shuai Zhou & Jingya Zhang & Guodong Shen & Yan Zhang, 2022. "Cross-Sectional Associations between Living and Built Environments and Depression Symptoms among Chinese Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-12, May.
    6. Martin Heine & Marelise Badenhorst & Chanel van Zyl & Gabriela Lima de Melo Ghisi & Abraham Samuel Babu & John Buckley & Pamela Serón & Karam Turk-Adawi & Wayne Derman, 2021. "Developing a Complex Understanding of Physical Activity in Cardiometabolic Disease from Low-to-Middle-Income Countries—A Qualitative Systematic Review with Meta-Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    7. Ming Ma & Liang Ding & Huaiyun Kou & Shaohua Tan & Hao Long, 2021. "Effects and Environmental Features of Mountainous Urban Greenways (MUGs) on Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Neatt, Kevin & Millward, Hugh & Spinney, Jamie, 2017. "Neighborhood walking densities: A multivariate analysis in Halifax, Canada," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 9-16.
    2. McNeill, Lorna Haughton & Kreuter, Matthew W. & Subramanian, S.V., 2006. "Social Environment and Physical activity: A review of concepts and evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 1011-1022, August.
    3. Zhenhua Zheng & Hong Chen & Liu Yang, 2019. "Transfer of Promotion Effects on Elderly Health with Age: From Physical Environment to Interpersonal Environment and Social Participation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Gerlinde Grasser & Delfien Dyck & Sylvia Titze & Willibald Stronegger, 2013. "Objectively measured walkability and active transport and weight-related outcomes in adults: a systematic review," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(4), pages 615-625, August.
    5. Sun, Bindong & Yan, Hong & Zhang, Tinglin, 2017. "Built environmental impacts on individual mode choice and BMI: Evidence from China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 11-21.
    6. Tashi Dendup & Xiaoqi Feng & Stephanie Clingan & Thomas Astell-Burt, 2018. "Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, January.
    7. Cutts, Bethany B. & Darby, Kate J. & Boone, Christopher G. & Brewis, Alexandra, 2009. "City structure, obesity, and environmental justice: An integrated analysis of physical and social barriers to walkable streets and park access," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1314-1322, November.
    8. De Meester, Femke & Van Dyck, Delfien & De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse & Deforche, Benedicte & Cardon, Greet, 2013. "Do psychosocial factors moderate the association between neighborhood walkability and adolescents' physical activity?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-9.
    9. Dagmar Sigmundová & Walid El Ansari & Erik Sigmund, 2011. "Neighbourhood Environment Correlates of Physical Activity: A Study of Eight Czech Regional Towns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Van Dyck, Delfien & Cerin, Ester & Conway, Terry L. & De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse & Owen, Neville & Kerr, Jacqueline & Cardon, Greet & Frank, Lawrence D. & Saelens, Brian E. & Sallis, James F., 2012. "Associations between perceived neighborhood environmental attributes and adults’ sedentary behavior: Findings from the USA, Australia and Belgium," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(9), pages 1375-1384.
    11. Amalie Lambert & Janae Vlaar & Susan Herrington & Mariana Brussoni, 2019. "What Is the Relationship between the Neighbourhood Built Environment and Time Spent in Outdoor Play? A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-35, October.
    12. Razieh Zandieh & Johannes Flacke & Javier Martinez & Phil Jones & Martin Van Maarseveen, 2017. "Do Inequalities in Neighborhood Walkability Drive Disparities in Older Adults’ Outdoor Walking?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Ru Zhang & Yanping Duan & Walter Brehm & Petra Wagner, 2019. "Socioecological Correlates of Park-based Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Comparison of Hong Kong and Leipzig Parks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    14. Kenneth Joh & Sandip Chakrabarti & Marlon G. Boarnet & Ayoung Woo, 2015. "The Walking Renaissance: A Longitudinal Analysis of Walking Travel in the Greater Los Angeles Area, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-27, July.
    15. Yehua Dennis Wei & Weiye Xiao & Ming Wen & Ran Wei, 2016. "Walkability, Land Use and Physical Activity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-16, January.
    16. Hong, Andy & Sallis, James F. & King, Abby C. & Conway, Terry L. & Saelens, Brian & Cain, Kelli L. & Fox, Eric H. & Frank, Lawrence D., 2018. "Linking green space to neighborhood social capital in older adults: The role of perceived safety," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 38-45.
    17. Yi Zhang & Yuan Li & Qixing Liu & Chaoyang Li, 2014. "The Built Environment and Walking Activity of the Elderly: An Empirical Analysis in the Zhongshan Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-17, February.
    18. Congying Fang & Riken Homma & Tianfu Qiu, 2024. "A Bibliometrics Analysis Related to the Built Environment and Walking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-17, March.
    19. Courtney Coughenour & Hanns de la Fuente-Mella & Alexander Paz, 2019. "Analysis of Self-Reported Walking for Transit in a Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area in the Western U.S," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    20. Won, Jaewoong & Lee, Chanam & Forjuoh, Samuel N. & Ory, Marcia G., 2016. "Neighborhood safety factors associated with older adults' health-related outcomes: A systematic literature review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 177-186.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:5:p:836-:d:142879. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.