Gender Differences in Average Step Counts and Industrial Employment Structure at the Municipal Level

This study aims to examine the association between municipality-level industrial employment structure and gender differences in average daily step counts across Japan.Cluster analysis revealed that gender differences were larger in areas with high employment rates in the primary and secondary industries, while smaller differences were observed in urban areas with a higher share of tertiary industry.Results from random forest and linear regression analyses showed a positive association between gender differences in steps and employment in the primary and secondary industries, particularly between secondary industry employment and weekday differences, even after controlling for differences in the physical environment and other factors.These findings suggest the importance of promoting walking tailored to local employment structures.