Regular physical activity brings significant health benefits, especially among the elderly population. Studies such as those by McAuley et al. (2006) and Rejeski and Mihalko (2001) indicate that regular physical activity is an important component for a good quality of life for the elderly, increasing their life expectancy and providing benefits in the mental, physical and social spheres.

In addition, there are also health benefits resulting from physical activity, such as the preventive effect against cardiovascular diseases (Manson et al., 2002) and type 2 diabetes (Folsom; Kushi; Hong, 2000). It also has an impact on life satisfaction and mental well-being of the elderly, including decreased levels of depression and anxiety (Lampinen et al., 2006).

With the global elderly population growing, there is a demand for living environments that are conducive to healthy aging, such as walkable open leisure spaces. The presence of parks and green spaces near homes can lead to an increase in the level of physical activity because of the convenience of these spaces being close by (Kaczynski; Henderson, 2007). In the same way, well-connected, tree-lined streets with infrastructure encourage walking and cycling (Hong; Chen, 2014).

There is, therefore, a relationship between the presence of green spaces and higher levels of physical activity at the neighborhood level. One of the most popular activities practiced by people of all ages is walking, a physical activity that is easily accessible (Bassett Junior et al., 2008). Therefore, encouraging walking, whether for commuting and/or leisure, represents a strategy to increase the level of physical activity among the elderly.

As studies show, promoting these activities can significantly reduce the number of chronic diseases, prolong years of active and independent life, in addition to improving the individual’s quality of life. In this context, the literature also indicates that the presence of green areas, tree-lined streets, parks and squares near the place of residence are positively associated with walking.

Given the above, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between the perception of the proximity of green areas to the residence (parks, squares and tree-lined streets) and the frequency of walking among elderly people in the city of Florianópolis over a 10-year period (2009-2019). The hypothesis is that the frequency of walking among elderly people who perceive the proximity of green areas in their neighborhood is greater than the frequency of walking among elderly people who do not perceive the proximity of green areas in their neighborhood.

The association between the proximity of the residence to an open leisure space, such as parks or other green spaces, and higher levels of physical activity has been mentioned in several studies (Colom et al., 2018; Eronen et al., 2014; Gibson, 2018; La Rosa et al., 2018; Mowen et al., 2007; Ode Sang et al., 2016; Petersen et al., 2018; Pleson et al., 2014; Sugiyama; Thompson, 2008; Thompson; Aspinall, 2011).

Research by Mowen et al. (2007) in Cleveland, Ohio, with 1515 elderly people showed that the perception of a nearby park, within walking distance, was related to physical activity and health through the frequency of the park use.

In the study by Eronen et al. (2014), the conclusion was that having a park or other green area within a short distance from home was the most frequently reported encourager of walking and mobility among the participating elderly participants.

A survey in Hamburg, Germany, with 272 people over 65 years of age, conducted by Petersen et al. (2018), showed that the weekly period of exposure to urban green spaces was significantly associated with time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activities. While urban green spaces located a long distance from the residence were pointed out as a barrier to the practice of physical activities by the interviewees.

Sugiyama and Thompson (2008), investigating green spaces near elderly people’s homes in the United Kingdom, found that the pleasantness of the open space and the absence of inconveniences were associated with walking for recreation, while good paths to access open space and good infrastructure were conducive to more walking for transport. They point out that walking in and around neighborhood open spaces often involves both contact with nature and opportunities for social interaction. Thus, walking in open spaces can offer health benefits in several ways. This reinforces the importance of planning “walkable” green spaces so that they contribute to the health of older people through the quality of their neighborhood environments.

Another study, conducted by Thompson and Aspinall (2011), with people over 65 in the United Kingdom, associated proximity to parks and other green areas, and pleasant routes leading to these areas, with a higher level of physical activity.

Another cross-sectional study conducted in Great Britain, with 284 people over the age of 65 explored the association between life satisfaction and outdoor activities, such as walking (Sugiyama; Thompson; Alves, 2009). This study found that distance to open spaces in the neighborhood was significantly associated with health status, life satisfaction, and time spent walking. The results indicated that the pleasantness and safety of open spaces were relevant to life satisfaction, and that the quality of paths was associated with walking behavior. The study found that people living near good paths to open spaces were twice as likely to be “high-level walkers”, that is, walking 2.5 hours per week or more. The results also indicated that having an open space within 700 m of a home was more likely to be associated with higher life satisfaction. Similarly, a cross-sectional study in two parks in Beijing examined the relationships between park path design characteristics and walking behavior among the elderly (Zhai; Baran, 2017). The correlation analysis of this study indicated that older adults prefer paths with smooth or uniform pavement, benches, flowers and lights, and are attracted to wider paths (between 3 and 3.9 meters wide) that are not connected to other activity areas in the park.

For the analyses presented here, the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study database was used, a population-based and household study that monitors the living and health conditions of a sample of elderly people (60 years or older), representative of the urban area of ​the Municipality of Florianópolis in the state of Santa Catarina (SC).

Florianópolis is a municipality with approximately 537 thousand inhabitants in 2022, according to the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) and is located in the state of Santa Catarina. It spatially occupies the island of Santa Catarina and a small continental portion. Thus, it has a large stretch of coastline with beaches suitable for sports and recreational activities. It is also worth mentioning the role that open spaces classified in the Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação (SNUC, National System of Conservation Units - Law No. 9.985/2000) play in the municipal context. According to Florianópolis’ Fundação Municipal do Meio Ambiente Municipal (FLORAM, Municipal Environmental Foundation) and Municipal Government of Florianópolis 2024, the Municipality of Florianópolis has 21 Conservation Units (CUs), covering 41% of its territory. Although their central function is environmental, some of the Conservation Units existing in Florianópolis allow for leisure and recreational uses. This high percentage of territorial protection, combined with the geographical distribution of Conservation Units in a discontinuous urban area, i.e., where the urban area is permeated by hills (whose vegetation is preserved), dunes, mangroves, and bodies of water of the most diverse types, means that natural elements, especially vegetated ones, can be seen in almost the entire territory of the municipality. On the other hand, parks and squares are more concentrated in the central portion of the municipality, which is also the most densely populated area, and where the island is connected to the mainland.

In Figure 1, below, it is possible to identify the urban perimeter of Florianópolis. In this figure, it is also possible to identify the large stretch of coastline in the municipality. The conservation units mentioned above coincide, for the most part, with the green spots visible in this same figure.

Figure 1 Source: Instituto de Planejamento Urbano de Florianópolis (PMF, Florianópolis Urban Planning Institute - 2022).

The study in question began in 2009/2010 with wave 1, when 1,705 people aged 60 or over participated (n = 1,705). In 2013/2014, wave 2 occurred, with the participation of 1,197 people in this age group (n = 1,197), and in 2017/2019, wave 3, with the participation of 1,327 respondents (n = 1,327).

To ensure the sample was representative of the urban area of Florianópolis, the baseline participants (Wave 1) were selected from census tracts (IBGE, 2000) that were randomly drawn, proportionally stratified by deciles of household head income. A total of 80 out of 420 urban census tracts were selected, with the sample designed to include an estimated 20 older adults per tract (Giehl et al., 2012).

In the second wave, the sample was based on the 1,705 participants from the baseline (wave 1) and at the end of the active search, 1,197 elderly people were interviewed again, as 217 deaths were detected, 129 refusals occurred and 159 losses occurred (Orsi et al., 2020). The sampling plan for the third wave was constructed based on the first and second waves, and with data from the 2010 Census, in order to maintain the representativeness of the elderly population of Florianópolis (SC). Thus, of the 1,327 elderly people interviewed in wave 3, 743 came from the baseline, 105 from the EpiFloripa Aging sample who were 60 years of age or older and 487 new interviewees (Orsi et al., 2020). It should be noted that the baseline people aged 60 or over, belonging to the EpiFloripa Aging census sectors of the baseline, were included to replace the sample.

To recruit new elderly individuals, a partnership was established with the Municipal Government of Florianópolis, which involved the collaboration of the coordinators of the Health Centers (Orsi et al., 2020). They were responsible for contacting and training the Community Health Agents (CHAs) to assist in identifying elderly individuals in order to reach the minimum number of interviewees required in each census sector.

The cluster sampling design aimed to produce adequate estimates for the elderly population of the city of Florianópolis (SC).

To collect data, the research instrument adopted was a face-to-face home interview, through the application of a structured questionnaire.

The EpiFloripa Aging cohort study met all ethical precepts and was approved by the Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Envolvendo Seres Humanos (CEPSH, Ethics Committee for Research Involving Human Beings) of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC, Federal University of Santa Catarina, protocol no. 352/2008 and CAAE 16731313.0.0000.0121.

Table 1 presents the characteristics of the sample in the 3 waves of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study. In the sample, there is a predominance of women (63.87% in wave 1, 65% in wave 2 and 61.04% in wave 3), and in relation to age, we can observe a higher frequency of the older age groups because of the aging of the cohort.

Table 1

Control variables
Variable	Wave 1		Wave 2		Wave 3
Sex	n (*)	%	n (**)	%	n (***)	%
Male	616	36.13	419	35.00	517	38.96
Female	1089	63.87	778	65.00	810	61.04
Age (years)
60 - 69	850	49.88	412	34.42	453	34.14
70 - 79	616	36.15	509	42.52	554	41.75
80 or more	238	13.97	276	23.06	320	24.11
Education (years)
0 - 8	1060	62.57	722	60.47	669	50.61
09 - 11	241	14.23	180	15.08	227	17.17
12 or more	393	23.20	292	24.45	426	32.22
Per capita income
Up to 1 MS	577	34.78	233	20.32	262	20.00
1 to 2 MS	406	24.47	358	31.21	410	31.30
2 MS or more	676	40.75	556	48.47	638	48.70

Note: (*) n varies from 1705 to 1659; (**) n varies from 1197 to 1147; (***) n varies from 1327 to 1310

In addition, there was also an improvement in per capita income over the waves, mainly in the 1-2 and 2 or more Brazilian minimum salaries variable; regarding education in wave 3, there was an increase in the number of interviewees in the category with 12 or more years of study.

The exposure variable considers the perception of the proximity of green areas to the place of residence of the elderly interviewed, categorized as “Not exposed”, “Exposed to one” and “Exposed to both”. Figure 2 shows the proportion of interviewees in each of the categories.

Figure 2 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

We can observe an increase in the number of elderly people living near parks, squares and tree-lined streets in wave 3 (28.05% wave 1, 28.03% wave 2 and 33.11% wave 3).

Regarding the frequency of walking to commute (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ-D), there is a predominance of interviewees who do not walk any day a week (39.91% wave 1, 36.60% wave 2 and 32.05% wave 3), on the other hand, a considerable portion who walk 7 days a week to commute (20.24% wave 1, 16.58% wave 2 and 23.01% wave 3). In Figure 3, it is possible to observe the distribution of the number of interviewees in relation to the frequency of walking to commute.

Figure 3 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

In the frequency of walking for leisure (IPAQ-L) there is a predominance of interviewees who do not walk for leisure on any day of the week (66.10% in wave 1, 72.19% in wave 2 and 67.05% in wave 3). Figure 4 shows the distribution of the number of interviewees in relation to the frequency of walking for leisure.

Figure 4 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

Due to the predominance of interviewees who do not walk any day for commuting or leisure, the answers were categorized as: “Does not walk” for those who responded that they do not walk any day of the week, and “Walks” for those who responded that they walk 1 to 7 days of the week. Figures 5 and 6 show the frequency of interviewees who “Does not walk” and “Walks” for commuting and leisure throughout the 3 waves, respectively.

Figure 5 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

Figure 6 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

Based on Figures 5 and 6, we can observe that there is a greater number of elderly people who walk to commute (60.09% in wave 1, 63.40% in wave 2 and 67.94% in wave 3) compared to walking for leisure (33.90% in wave 1, 27.81% in wave 2 and 32.95% in wave 3).

When considering the number of interviewees who walk to commute and/or leisure, the data were categorized into “Does not walk” which includes elderly people who do not walk for either option, “Walks” for those who walk to commute or leisure, and “Walks more” for those who walk for both activities.

Figure 7 shows the percentage of the sample that “Does not walk”, “Walks” and “Walks more”, and we can see that around half of the interviewees walk for commuting or leisure (46.59% wave 1, 51.68% wave 2 and 49.73% wave 3).

Figure 7 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

Observing the frequency of walking for leisure among those “not exposed” to green areas, there is a reduction in this practice over the three waves, as shown in Figure 8 (33.66% wave 1, 19.25% wave 2, 26.38% wave 3).

Figure 8 Source: Prepared by the authors (2024).

The main findings of this study indicate that there is a relationship between the perception of proximity of green areas to the residence and the frequency of walking among the elderly in Florianópolis (SC). Other studies corroborate the relationship between the availability of green leisure areas around the residential area and the propensity to practice physical activities, such as those by Mowen et al. (2007), Sugiyama and Thompson (2008), Sugiyama et al. (2009), Eronen et al. (2014) and Petersen et al. (2018).

For example, a cross-sectional survey with 810 older adults in Singapore investigated the interrelationships between the neighborhood’s built environment, physical activity, and three physical health outcomes (BMI, functional capacity, and presence/absence of chronic diseases) (Song et al., 2020). The results indicated that accessibility to parks and open spaces, as well as the safety and presence of covered paths, promote walking or cycling to these locations, as well as encourage outdoor recreational physical activity. Furthermore, the study of Song et al. (2020) found that higher levels of leisure-time physical activity appear to reduce the number of comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. In contrast, participants with worse medical conditions had lower levels of recreational physical activity.

In the present study, it was found that exposure to green areas was associated with an increase in the walking frequency score for commuting (1.17), leisure (1.19) and both activities (1.09). When considering greater exposure to green areas, the association intensified, resulting in increases in scores of 1.53, 1.33 and 1.17, respectively. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that greater exposure to green areas has a more pronounced effect on the frequency of walking for commuting than for leisure or both activities. These findings are in line with previous studies (Song et al., 2020; Sugiyama; Thompson; Alves, 2009; Zhai; Baran, 2017), which highlight the importance of environmental characteristics (presence of green areas) in promoting physical activity among older adults.

However, an important distinction in the present study is the separate analysis of the types of walking (commuting and/or leisure) and their association with proximity to green areas, an approach less explored in previous studies. This aspect adds an additional dimension to the understanding of how green environments influence different types of physical activity among older adults.

In addition, when comparing the frequency of walking for leisure between the groups “exposed” and “not exposed” to green areas, it is observed that the perception of proximity to these areas has a positive impact, resulting in a higher frequency of walking among the “exposed” group.

This study has some strengths, such as using a representative sample of elderly individuals aged 60 or over, where rigorous methods were applied by the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study team. In addition, the longitudinal statistical methods used in this research allow establishing the temporal relationship between exposure and outcome.

However, some limitations should be considered when interpreting the results. One example is the use of self-reported measures on the frequency of walking for commuting and leisure by the elderly, since it reflects individual perceptions of the interviewees.

On the other hand, self-reported perceptions of the proximity of green areas to the residence can contribute to the analysis of peculiar places such as Florianópolis, where the presence of green areas in the residential area is due to very diverse configurational characteristics that are sometimes difficult to map for analysis, such as trails in areas of permanent preservation. It is also important to consider the vegetated beaches that cover much of the perimeter of the coast, both on the island and on the mainland of the municipality, and which, like the coastal roads, are considered for walking. Thus, what is important in this case is the perception of urban greenery.

The results of the research allow us to conclude that the perception of the proximity of green areas to the home, such as parks, squares and tree-lined streets, contributed to a 53% increase in the frequency of walking for commuting and a 33% increase in the frequency of walking for leisure over a ten-year period. Longitudinal studies that address the relationship between proximity to green areas and physical activity are essential to monitor the positive association between these two variables, as well as to reinforce the importance of favorable living environments for healthy aging.

It can be concluded that urban planning that places greater emphasis on green spaces in its design contributes to a healthier aging population. In this sense, it is necessary to provide cities with more tree-lined streets, parks and squares distributed evenly throughout the urban areas, equipped with facilities suitable for this age group, with restrooms and rest areas. It is also important to bear in mind that not only does greenery in public areas contributes to more pleasant urban environments for commuting, but also landscaping on private lots that border the public domain, which is noticed by the population when moving along public roads.

Thus, this is yet another study that proves the importance of providing cities with green spaces, so that it can support both planners and citizens in building healthier and friendlier cities.

Future studies could explore in a representative way the configurational differences of green spaces (such as parks, squares, gardens adjacent to public spaces) and their influence on the walking practice of the elderly population, whether for commuting or leisure.