Validation of urban parks for physical activity enhancement in community-dwelling older adults: A developing country experience

Abstract

Background and objective Built-environment guidance rarely translates into practice-ready walking prescriptions for older adults. In light of this, we calibrated graded, cadence-based urban park trails to generate target intensities and expected physiological responses to inform primary care and municipal signage.

Methods Community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years completed three predefined trails (low-, medium-, and high-intensity). Oxygen uptake (VO₂), minute ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) were recorded with a portable metabolic system and an optical HR sensor; cadence was metronome-guided to reach target intensities. Outcomes included VO₂, VE, HR, energy expenditure per ~12-15-minute bout, and perceived exertion.

Results Physiological responses exhibited a graded, dose-responsive profile across trails. Mean VO₂, VE, HR, and energy expenditure increased from low to high, while walking time remained feasible for a brief bout. We provide practice-ready parameters (distance and cadence bands with expected intensity ranges) for implementation. No adverse events occurred.

Conclusions Calibrated park trails can operationalize safe, scalable walking prescriptions for older adults. These translational outputs (distance and cadence ranges) are directly usable by clinicians and municipalities. Future evaluations should assess uptake, adherence, and health outcomes in real-world settings.