Introduction

An increasing body of evidence suggests that regular physical activity can have important beneficial effects on individuals’ health into later years. This research investigated the inter-relationships between neighbourhood built environment, physical activity and three physical health outcomes among older adults in Singapore.

Methods

Drawing on 2018 data from 810 community-dwelling older adults in Singapore, a simultaneous equation approach was utilised to disentangle the complex interactions among built environment (both objective and self-reported measurements), physical activity and physical health (i.e., body mass index, functional capability and presence or absence of ‘three high’ chronic diseases) while controlling for other confounding factors, including socio-demographics and health behaviour.

Results

The accessibility to destinations (e.g., parks, open spaces, playgrounds) and other walkability features (e.g., neighbourhood safety, covered footpath) could promote transportation or recreational outdoor physical activity and therefore, health among older residents in Singapore. Interestingly, built environment characteristics related differently to physical activity undertaken for transportation and recreational purposes. There was a bi-directional relationship between an older adult's functional status and transport-related physical activity. There was also evidence that the connection between number of chronic diseases and recreational physical activity was reciprocal.

Conclusion

Insights into the built environment-physical activity-physical health relationships highlight the importance of supportive built environment in the process of health enhancement for older people.

中文翻译：

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新加坡老年人在社区中建立的环境，体育活动和身体健康：联立方程法

介绍

越来越多的证据表明，有规律的体育锻炼可以对个人的健康产生重要的有益影响。这项研究调查了新加坡老年人在社区环境，体育活动与三种身体健康结局之间的相互关系。

方法

根据新加坡810名居住在社区的老年人的2018年数据，采用联立方程方法分解了建筑环境（客观和自我报告的测量结果），体育活动和身体健康（即体重指数，功能能力以及是否存在“三高”慢性疾病），同时控制其他混杂因素，包括社会人口统计学和健康行为。

结果

到达目的地（例如公园，开放空间，操场）的可及性和其他步行功能（例如邻里安全，有遮盖的人行道）可以促进交通或休闲户外体育活动，从而促进新加坡老年人的健康。有趣的是，建筑环境特征与为运输和娱乐目的进行的体育活动有不同的关联。老年人的功能状态和与运输有关的体育活动之间存在双向关系。也有证据表明，慢性病数量与娱乐性体育活动之间的联系是相互的。

结论

对建筑环境-体育活动-身体健康关系的见解突显了支持性建筑环境在老年人健康改善过程中的重要性。