Intergenerational differences in walking for transportation between older men and women in six countries

• Published in: Journal of transport & health 2023-07, Vol.31, p.101630, Article 101630
• Main Authors: Asiamah, Nestor, Vieira, Edgar Ramos, Awuviry-Newton, Kofi, Kapilashrami, Anuj, Khan, Hafiz T.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active transportation; Ageing; Older adults; Physical activity; Walking
• ISSN: 2214-1405; 2214-1413
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2023.101630

– Research on potential differences in walking between men and women have mixed and inconclusive results, and no study has examined differences in walking between men and women across multiple countries and generations (i.e., young-old, old-old, and oldest-old). This study aimed to compare older men and women with respect to their walking for transportation across three generations and among six countries (i.e., China, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Ghana, and India). – This study adopted the cross-sectional design that utilised data from the World Health Organization Study on AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE – wave one). The sample included 12,125 older adults aged 60–114 years from the six countries. The participants were selected with a cluster random sampling method in each country. The data were analysed using three-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). – There were significant differences in walking for transportation among countries. In only South Africa there was a significant difference in walking between men and women, as well as among the three older generations. South African men reported more walking than South African women, and younger-old South Africans reported more walking than older-old and the oldest South Africans. – There are differences in older adults' walking for transportation among countries. Differences in walking between men and women and among the three generations were only significant in South Africa. •A significant difference in walking among the six countries was found.•Men were found to report higher walking compared with women but only in South Africa.•The oldest-old, compared with the young-old and the old-old, reported lower walking but only in South Africa.•Differences in walking among the three generations and between men and women were limited to South Africa.