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There is increasing evidence that the built environment has an influence on physical activity; however, little is known about this relationship in developing countries.

This study examined the associations between attributes of the built environment and walking patterns among the elderly.

A multilevel cross-sectional study was conducted in 2007. Fifty neighborhoods were selected and 1966 participants aged ≥60 years were surveyed. Objective built environment measures were obtained in a buffer of 500 m using GIS. Environmental perceptions were assessed via questionnaire.

People who lived in areas with middle park area (4.53%–7.98% of land) were more likely to walk for at least 60 minutes during a usual week (prevalence OR [POR]=1.42, 95% CI=1.02, 1.98). Those who lived in areas with the highest connectivity index (1.81–1.99) were less likely to report …