Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29721838›Full record

SynthesisSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2018

Relationships Between Neighbourhood Physical Environmental Attributes and Older Adults' Leisure-Time Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Jelle Van Cauwenberg, Andrea Nathan, Anthony Barnett, David W Barnett, Ester Cerin, Council on Environment and Physical Activity (CEPA)-Older Adults Working Group

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 108 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
108citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

108 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Determinants of physical activity in community-dwelling older adults: an umbrella review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2023
    Pooled it
  3. The Effect of Human Settlement Pedestrian Environment on Gait of Older People: An Umbrella Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Pooled it
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  11. Trial
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  14. Article
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  16. Article
  17. Urban greenspace and dementia: Measures, mechanisms, and methodological guidance.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Review
  18. Article
  19. Observational
  20. Neighborhood environments and transition to cognitive states: Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Article

48 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jelle Van CauwenbergDepartment of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. jelle.vancauwenberg@ugent.be.ORCID 0000-0003-1292-6241
Andrea NathanMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
Anthony BarnettMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
David W BarnettMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
Ester CerinMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
Council on Environment and Physical Activity (CEPA)-Older Adults Working Group

Funding

Australian Research Council 140100085Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek 12I1117N
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundActivity-friendly neighbourhood physical environments with access to recreational facilities are hypothesised to facilitate leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults (≥ 65 years old). The aim of the current study was to systematically review and quantitatively summarise study findings on the relationships between physical environmental attributes and LTPA among older adults.

methodsAn extensive search of literature, including grey literature, yielded 72 articles eligible for inclusion. The reported associations between seven categories of environmental attributes and six LTPA outcomes were extracted, weighted by sample size and study quality, and quantitatively summarised. Reported moderating effects of individual and environmental characteristics and neighbourhood definition were also examined.

resultsWe observed positive associations for walkability (p = 0.01), land-use mix-access (p = 0.02) and aesthetically pleasing scenery (p < 0.001) with leisure-time walking. For leisure-time walking within the neighbourhood, evidence was found for positive associations with land-use mix-access (p = 0.03) and access to public transit (p = 0.05), and a negative association with barriers to walking/cycling (p = 0.03). Evidence for positive relationships between overall LTPA and access to recreational facilities (p = 0.01) and parks/open space (p = 0.04) was found. Several environmental attribute-LTPA outcome combinations were insufficiently studied to draw conclusions. No consistent moderating effects were observed for individual and environmental characteristics and neighbourhood definition.

conclusionsThe observed significant relationships can be used to inform policy makers and planners on how to (re-)design neighbourhoods that promote LTPA among older adults. Many environmental attribute-LTPA outcome relationships have been studied insufficiently and several methodological issues remain to be addressed. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO 2016:CRD42016051180.

Indexed as

ExerciseLeisure ActivitiesResidence CharacteristicsAgedChildCross-Sectional StudiesHumansQuality of LifeWalking

Identifiers

PMID29721838

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.