Abstract
Because of high population density and rapid urbanization, different human life stages have distinct growth experiences, leading to different lifestyles and age-spatial separation in the same neighborhood environment, particularly in smaller Chinese cities. The relationship of environment to physical activity may differ from western or larger Chinese cities. This study examined the associations of walking duration to the neighborhood environment and other factors, and explored the nuances of walking behavior for different life stages of adults in a smaller Chinese city, Yuncheng. An interviewer-administered questionnaire survey (n = 173) and face-to-face interviews (n = 19) were conducted in August 2017. Descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to describe walking motivations, sociodemographic characteristics, neighborhood environments, and their impacts on walking duration across three life stages. The quantitative findings were followed by interviews to validate and interpret them. Our results showed no positive associations of land-use mix (LUM) and residential density on walking duration, and even inverse associations of LUM-recreation and LUM-education for specific life stages were identified. Younger people’s walking behavior was more related to consumption amenities distinct from those of older people. Our findings suggest that using walkable neighborhood policies (e.g., high residential density and land-use mix) to increase physical activity might be ineffective in smaller Chinese cities.
摘要
由于人口密度高、城市化进程快，不同的人类生命阶段有着截然不同的成长经历，这导致在相同的邻里环境中，特别是在较小的中国城市中，人们的生活方式和年龄空间分离。环境与身体活动的关系在中国小城市与西方或中国大城市中可能也不相同。本研究考察了步行持续时间与周边环境等因素的关系，探讨了中国小城市运城中成年人不同生活阶段步行行为的细微差别。2017年8月进行了由面试官管理的问卷调查(n=173)和面对面访谈(n=19)。采用描述性分析和多元线性回归相结合的方法，描述了步行动机、社会人口学特征、邻里环境以及它们对三个生命阶段步行持续时间的影响。随后对量化结果进行访谈验证和解读。结果显示，土地利用混合程度(LUM)和居住密度对步行持续时间没有正向关联，甚至还发现在特定的生活阶段，土地混合利用与娱乐、土地混合利用与教育之间也存在负关联。与老年人相比，年轻人的步行行为与消费便利设施有着更为密切的关系。我们的研究结果表明，在中国较小的城市，利用适宜步行的邻里政策(例如高居住密度和土地混合利用)来增加人们的体育活动可能是无效的。