Grant: Operating Grant: Data Analysis - Healthy Cities Intervention Research

Older adults are the fastest growing age group in Canada, and a large number of older adults are living in big cities. Cities may expose older adults to more pollution, and may promote inactivity since they may have fewer green spaces. This is particularly problematic for older adults with heart or lung disease, as it is recommended that they walk to improve their health. Unfortunately, we know very little about the environmental features that influence physical activity levels of older adults living in cities, and we do not know if these factors influence their health. We plan on using a large database that contains physical activity and health information on over 50,000 Canadians as well as information on the air quality, walkability, and health inequalities of the neighbourhoods these older adults are living in. Analysing these data will help us identify factors that influence physical activity and health of older adults living in cities. This information can be used by city planners to create age-friendly communities.