Examination of How Mall Visits Moderate the Impact of Adverse Weather on Daily Step Counts
A Multilevel Analysis Using Nationwide Data from a Smartphone Application
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12474259 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hiroaki Yoshida (0000-0002-7283-8617, Chiba University, corresponding author), Yoko Matsuoka (0000-0003-1404-7945, Chiba University), Masamichi Hanazato (0000-0002-0317-7616, Chiba University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 102 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1252-1265 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-27 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Urban Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1099-3460 • E-ISSN: 1468-2869 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11524-025-01031-5 |
| PMID | 41310322 |
| OpenAlex | W4416755876 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 31 |
Climate change has led to an increase in extreme weather events. Adverse weather conditions limit outdoor activities, reduce step counts, and negatively affect health. Malls offer a possible alternative for walking in such weather; however, their step-loss mitigating role remains unexplored. We analyzed data from 18,666 individuals aged ≥ 18 years (mean ± standard deviation: 48.0 ± 12.6; women: 71.5%), tracking daily step counts over a year using a smartphone application. Step count data were collected via devices owned by the participants and then transferred to the program database through the application. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression was used to estimate the associations between daily step counts and various interaction terms, focusing on two-way interactions between mall visits and weather, and three-way interactions involving sociodemographic factors. On days with maximum temperatures of 5 mm precipitation, snow depth > 3 cm, and wind speeds > 2.50 m/s. Mall visits mitigated weather-related step count reductions, particularly among older adults, women, and low-density area residents who generally take fewer steps. These findings underscore the role of weather-independent spaces, such as malls, in mitigating step count reductions during adverse weather. Improving access to and promoting their use are essential for maintaining physical activity in such conditions
Adverse effect · Adverse weather · Affect (linguistics · Linear regression · Multilevel model · Multilevel modelling · Regression analysis · Snow · Physical Activity and Health · Urban Green Space and Health · Urban Transport and Accessibility
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |