Active transportation and well-being among different age groups: A network analysis approach in Taiwan

Background

Active transportation has well-documented benefits for both personal health and environmental sustainability, yet its adoption rate remains relatively low in many developed contexts. A life course perspective helps understand how transportation behaviors and their implications for well-being evolve alongside age-related changes. This study examines how the relationship between active transportation and well-being is embedded within broader sociodemographic, health, and environmental perception contexts across different age groups.

Method

Using nationally representative web survey data from Taiwan in 2019 (N = 1437), we applied network analysis to map the interconnections among multidimensional factors. Analyses were stratified across four life stages: Early adulthood (18–29 years), Prime adulthood (30–49 years), Mature adulthood (50–64 years), and Older adulthood (65+ years).

Results

The sample revealed low rates of active transportation usage in Taiwan, with walking and cycling accounting for only 5.3 % and public transportation for 20.2 %. Network analysis indicated that active transportation was not directly associated with well-being but exerted indirect effects through the perceived availability of pedestrian space. Age-specific patterns showed that sociodemographic factors, including education and income, influenced active transportation across all age groups, becoming stronger from prime adulthood and peaking in mature adulthood; being female had a direct association only in mature adulthood. In older adulthood, eye discomfort emerged as a key factor shaping transportation choices.

Discussion

These results support life course theory, highlighting that the well-being benefits of active transportation are shaped by age-specific sociodemographic constraints and environmental factors. Transportation planning should consider age-specific needs and prioritize pedestrian infrastructure to better support population mobility and well-being.