Deakin University
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Socio-demographic variations in walking for transport for recreation or exercise among adult Australians.

journal contribution
posted on 2006-04-01, 00:00 authored by R Cole, Evie Leslie, A Bauman, M Donald, N Owen
Background: Walking is integral to strategies to promote physical activity. We identified socio-demographic variations in walking for transport, and for recreation or exercise. Methods: Representative population data (n = 3392) from Australia were collected using computer assisted telephone interviewing, to examine adults’ participation in moderate- or brisk-paced walking for transport and walking for recreation or exercise; walking “sufficient” to meet the current public health guideline (> 150 min/wk); and, the contributions of total walking to meeting the guideline for total physical activity. Results: Rates of sufficient walking for transport (10% for men, 9% for women) were lower than those for walking for recreation or exercise (14% for both genders). Few socio-demographic differences emerged. Men over age 60 y were significantly less likely (OR = 0.40) to walk for transport; men age 45 to 59 y were more likely (OR = 1.56) to walk for recreation or exercise. Walking contributed more toward meeting the current public health guideline among women (15% to 21%) than among men (6% to 8%). Conclusions: There is potential for socially equitable increases in participation, through a focus on both walking for transport and on walking for recreation or exercise; attention to gender differences would be helpful.

History

Journal

Journal of physical activity and health

Volume

3

Issue

2

Pagination

164 - 178

Publisher

Human Kinetics Publishers

Location

Champaign, Ill.

ISSN

1543-3080

eISSN

1543-5474

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2006, Human Kinetics, Inc.

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