Walking patterns in older adults: Modeling the interplay of frequency, place, and purpose

Abstract

Introduction

Walking is an important physical activity with significant health benefits. Despite the presence of an extensive body of research dedicated to understanding various aspects of walking, there is a need for a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of walking behaviors. With many countries facing an increasingly aging population, this issue is of particular importance for older adults for whom walking can provide significant physical and mental health benefits. This paper studies three key walking behaviors: walking frequency, purpose, and place/location.

Methods

The study utilizes data from the 2022 American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) walking survey and employs a multivariate ordered probit (MORP) approach to jointly model the three dimensions of walking. This method allows capturing exogenous variable effects and endogenous variable effects, while controlling for error correlations arising from the presence of unobserved traits that simultaneously affect multiple outcome variables. The survey also provides valuable data to examine other dimensions of walking behavior in older adults in a post-COVID environment, including duration, companionship, and perceived benefits and barriers.

Results

The findings indicate plenty of scope for enhancing purpose-driven walking through the provision of walk-friendly environments in and around residential neighborhoods. Significant socioeconomic disparities also hinder certain population segments from engaging in walking activities, particularly in their residential neighborhoods.

Conclusions

The multidimensional dataset and findings obtained from this study offer a rich resource for future research, and for informing the design of urban planning and public health interventions, to promote walking and enhance quality of life among older adults.