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Ethan M. Berke, MD, MPH, Thomas D. Koepsell, MD, MPH, Anne Vernez Moudon, Dr es Sc, Richard E. Hoskins, PhD, MPH and Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH

At the time of the study, Ethan M. Berke was with the Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle. Thomas D. Koepsell is with the Departments of Epidemiology, Health Services, and Medicine, and Anne Vernez Moudon is with the Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington. Seattle. Richard E. Hoskins is with the Departments of Epidemiology and Medical Education and Biomedical Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, and is with the Washington State Department of Health, Olympia, Wash. Eric B. Larson is with the Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, and with the Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies, Seattle.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Ethan M. Berke, MD, MPH, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, 35 Centerra Parkway, Rm 206, Lebanon, NH 03756 (e-mail: ethan.m.berke{at}dartmouth.edu).

Objective. We examined whether older persons who live in areas that are conducive to walking are more active or less obese than those living in areas where walking is more difficult.

Methods. We used data from the Adult Changes in Thought cohort study for a cross-sectional analysis of 936 participants aged 65 to 97 years. The Walkable and Bikable Communities Project previously formulated a walkability score to predict the probability of walking in King County, Washington. Data from the cohort study were linked to the walkability score at the participant level using a geographic information system. Analyses tested for associations between walkability score and activity and body mass index.

Results. Higher walkability scores were associated with significantly more walking for exercise across buffers (circular zones around each respondent’s home) of varying radii (for men, odds ratio [OR]=5.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.01, 34.17 to OR=9.14; CI=1.23, 68.11; for women, OR=1.63; CI=0.94, 2.83 to OR=1.77; CI=1.03, 3.04). A trend toward lower body mass index in men living in more walkable neighborhoods did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions. Findings suggest that neighborhood characteristics are associated with the frequency of walking for physical activity in older people. Whether frequency of walking reduces obesity prevalence is less clear.

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