Obesity and Urban Form: Evidence from London

Abstract

This paper examines the association between urban form and obesity rates at the neighbourhood level. Using data from London, UK in a regression and mediation analysis framework, we find that high population density, more diverse land use, better public transport access and higher street connectivity are all associated with lower obesity rates after controlling for a range of possible confounders such as income, unemployment, education and age. These findings corroborate and extend the existing empirical evidence on the crucial role of neighbourhood factors, in particular built environment factors, in counteracting rising obesity levels in large cities and metropolitan areas.