Background
By 2050, over 2 billion people will be aged 60 or older, with most living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Latin America, this demographic shift presents challenges for under-resourced health and social systems. Community-based physical activity programs, such as Bogotá’s Recreovía, play a critical role in supporting older adults’ health and well-being. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was adapted to offer both outdoor and virtual sessions, aiming to maintain physical activity and social connections despite mobility restrictions. However, there is limited evidence on how such programs influence broader healthy aging outcomes, including mental health and social relationships, particularly during crisis settings. This study describes these outcomes among older adults who participated in Recreovía during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bogotá, Colombia.

Methods
We conducted a mixed-methods study using a simultaneous bidirectional framework design. A survey measured program use and outcomes related to healthy aging, complemented by a network analysis of social relationships. In-depth interviews explored participants’ perceived impacts on quality of life.

Results
Recreovía participation showed significant benefits for older adults’ quality of life. Quantitative data revealed improvements in physical health, mental and psychological well-being. Participants reported enhanced self-esteem, sustained health measures, and strengthened mental resilience. The program also fostered intergenerational relationships, promoted independence, and created supportive peer networks. Qualitative findings highlighted the importance of outdoor environments for physical activity and their holistic contributions to spiritual well-being. The integration of both data sources confirmed these benefits, underscoring Recreovía’s role in enhancing overall well-being and social relationships.

Conclusions
Community-based physical activity programs like Recreovía enhance older adults’ social engagement, foster intergenerational relationships, reduce social isolation, and promote healthy aging. Outdoor spaces that support physical activity and socialization are vital for maintaining independence, mental health, and quality of life. These programs also help older adults sustain relationships and contribute meaningfully to society, promoting a more equitable and supportive environment for healthy aging. By prioritizing the development and support of such spaces and programs, policymakers and community leaders can enhance aging populations’ well-being by prioritizing such initiatives, which are critical for public health strategies in resource-limited settings.

The community restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic adversely impacted older adults’ physical activity levels. This convergent mixed-method study assessed the adaptation of the Recreovía, a community-based physical activity program in Bogotá, and characterized physical activity levels among older adult participants. Our results showed how the Recreovía adapted during the pandemic to continue promoting physical activity, through indoor and outdoor strategies, including virtual physical activity sessions and safety protocols. During this time, 72%–79% of the older adults attending the adapted program were physically active. A greater proportion of park users (84.2%) and more people involved in vigorous physical activity were observed during Recreovía days. Older adults had positive experiences and perceptions of the Recreovía program related to their health and social well-being. Even though the older adults prefer being outdoors, the adapted program allowed participants to continue with their physical activity routines as much as possible during the pandemic.

Given its origins in high-income countries, the field of physical activity and public health research and promotion has broadly followed a choice-based model. However, a substantial amount of the physical activity occurring routinely in many settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is the result of economic necessity and is not due to true, free choices. We propose the necessity- versus choice-based physical activity models framework as a conceptual tool to ground physical activity and public health research and promotion efforts in LMICs, helping ensurethat these efforts are relevant, ethical, responsive, and respectful to local contexts. Identifying ways to ensure that LMIC populations can maintain high levels of active transport while increasing opportunities for active leisure must be prioritized. To promote equity, physical activity research, programs, and policies in LMICs must focus on improving the conditions under which necessity-driven physical activity occurs for a vast majority of the population.