Urban residential environments and senior citizens’ longevity in megacity areas: The importance of walkable green spaces

A cohort study was conducted to study the association between greenery filled public areas that are near a residence and easy to walk in, and the longevity of senior citizens in a megacity. The five-year survival of 3144 registered Tokyo citizens born in 1903, 1908, 1913, or 1918 was analyzed. Results indicated the probability of five-year survival of the senior citizens increased in accordance with walking spaces, parks and trees near their residence, and their preference to continue living in their community. Walkable green streets and spaces near the residence, along with a positive attitude to a person’s own community were significant environment related factors. Overall, the quality of the physical environmental around a residence was found to be a significant predictor of survival value for the urban senior citizens over the five-year period. From the study’s results, it can be concluded that greenery filled public areas that are nearby and easy to walk in should be further prioritized in megacity urban planning.