[Correlates of domain-specific walking time in a national sample of Japanese adults: A cross-sectional study focused on exercise preferences].

Abstract

Objective　Although many studies have investigated the factors associated with physical activity, few have examined these associations in relation to walking using large-scale nationwide data from Japanese adults. Furthermore, the association between exercise preference (liking or disliking exercise) and physical activity remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with total and domain-specific walking times (utilitarian and leisure) among Japanese adults.Methods　This nationwide cross-sectional study included 40,286 Japanese adults (50.5% men, mean age; 49.4±15.6 years) who responded to a web-based survey in December 2021. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between walking time (total, utilitarian, and leisure, dichotomized at the median) and sex, age, the Japan Postcode-level Walkability Index (JPWI), years of education, employment status, household income, living arrangements, driving frequency, body mass index, self-rated health, smoking status, and exercise preference (based on the question, "Do you like exercise?" participants who answered "yes" were classified as "liking exercise," whereas those who answered "no" as "disliking exercise").Results　Longer total walking time was significantly associated with men (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.16 [1.11-1.21]), older age (≥60 years; 1.57[1.48-1.66]), higher JPWI (0.5-＜1.0:1.17[1.11-1.24], ≥1:1.56[1.47-1.65]), higher level of education (≥13 years; 1.12[1.07-1.17]), higher household income (middle; 1.06[1.01-1.12], high; 1.26[1.18-1.34]), living alone (1.07[1.01-1.14]), lower driving frequency (＜3 days/week; 2.20[2.10-2.30]), better self-rated health (1.21[1.15-1.28]), not smoking (1.27[1.20-1.34]), and liking exercise (2.10[2.01-2.20]). Among these, driving frequency and exercise preference showed the strongest associations based on odds ratios. For utilitarian and leisure walking, lower driving frequency (2.29[2.19-2.39]) and liking exercise (2.59[2.48-2.71]) had the strongest association (2.29[2.19-2.39]), respectively.Conclusions　Exercise preference and driving frequency were strongly associated with walking time. These findings highlight the importance of developing effective interventions and improving environments to promote behavioral changes among individuals with low physical activity levels who dislike exercising.