摘要：Older adults are important from a public health standpoint as the number and proportion of elderly in ourpopulation is increasing. Further, this segment of the population is characterized by low physical activityinvolvement and suffers from hypokinetic diseases at high rates. Thus, health promoters should be awareof the types of PA that older adults engage in, and where that PA occurs. The purpose of this study was todescribe the modes of PA in which middle-aged and older adults engage in and locales of where that PAoccurs. An additional purpose was to identify predictors of meeting PA guidelines that have been createdby experts. We also sought to determine if participation in social activities predicted meeting PAguidelines, as both are important aspects of aging. Knowledge of such information could be valuable indesigning PA interventions. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and all data was collected viaa telephone interview. A racially mixed sample of 350 females and 199 males completed a 52-item surveythat included measures of PA behavior and neighborhood characteristics. Twenty participants failed toreport their gender and were excluded from the analysis. Logistic regression was used to identifypredictors of meeting PA guidelines. Results: Participant ages ranged from 45-89 years (M= 60.8). Themost frequently cited mode of PA was walking, by 53.7% of the sample, most of which occurred nearresidences (63.6%). Only 11.2% of participants met PA guidelines by doing either moderately orvigorously intense PA. Predictors of meeting PA guidelines included doing PA in a community facility orfitness club, and participation in social activities, which approached significance. Public health personnelshould recommend activities, especially walking, to older adults that can be done near their homes, andfuture research should assess neighborhood characteristics that are supportive of, or hinder the PA ofolder adults
