Higher Walkability Research Articles

Objective and Subjective Physical Measures of the Neighbourhood Environment among Older People

This paper aims to explore the relation between objective and subjective neighbourhood walkability and its impact on the physical activity level of older adults. The correlations were used to signify older people's level of physical activity in Johor Bahru neighbourhoods, Malaysia. The results show residents in a highly dense area with higher accessibility to facilities perceived higher walkability level but showed a lower actual physical activity level. People living in high intersection density areas who recognised high walkability demonstrated higher physical activity level, while residents in a highly dense area with higher accessibility show lower physical activity level. This implies that neighbourhoods with high intersection density demonstrated a highly walkable environment rather than neighbourhoods with high density and high accessibility.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND SITTING PATTERNS IN OLDER ADULTS

Neighborhood characteristics are associated with self-reported sedentary behavior (SB) in older adults. However, self-report measures are not able to accurately assess total sitting time nor detailed patterns of SB. This analysis explores the relationship between device-based SB variables from activPAL and neighborhood characteristics (demographics) in the ACT cohort. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed with the modified Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES; scored 1.0-4.0, higher score, higher walkability). Data were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for demographic factors. Higher PANES score was associated with higher daily steps (+1180 daily steps/point on PANES, p<0.001) and sit-to-stand transitions (+2.7 daily transitions/point on PANES, p=0.004). Confirming other studies, neighborhood walkability promotes physical activity. A novel finding was that sitting interruptions, which can only be assessed with devices, were also associated with higher neighborhood walkability, while total sitting time was not.

The Relationship Between Environment Characteristics and Old Citizen’s Physical Activates in Residential Area, Harbin, China

Walking is one of the main travel mode for old citizen (over 60 years old) in their daily life, so understanding how the environment characteristics of residential area could effect the old citizen’s physical activities could help the designer to work better on old citizen friendly urban plan. This study attempts to comprehensively and objectively research on the relationship between environment characteristics and old citizen’s physical activities in Harbin residential areas. Spatial feature and traffic management have been thought as the main determinate of walkability of urban space, however physical features and urban design details have been rarely mentioned. Old citizen’s perception has been examined in this study: 15 environment characteristics problems have been identified in the studied residential areas based on the understanding of pervious researches. Through observations and questionnaire surveys, the environment characteristics of each case study were evaluated and the physical problems were discovered. Additionally, old citizen’s perception on the identified problems and their effects on their physical activities of the studied areas were found and defined, in both high and low walkability residential area.

Asociación entre la caminabilidad del barrio de residencia y la mortalidad por distintas causas en Andalucía

ObjectiveTo describe the association between the Neighborhood Walkability and mortality. MethodEcological study of small areas. The standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and the Walk Score© were calculated in each census tract. These values were compared with parametric and nonparametric tests. ResultsFor men, in the case of ischemic diseases, the means of the SMR for the categories with the highest walkability and the least were 1.03 and 0.85 (p <0.01), and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were 1,009 and 1.20 (p <0.01). In women, the means of the SMR for diabetes were 0.97 and 1.2 (p <0.01), for ischemic diseases were 1.01 and 1.12 (p <0.01), for cerebrovascular diseases were 1.007 and 1.18 (p <0.01), for COPD were 1.01 and 1.49 (p <0.01) and for all causes were 1.006 and 1.08 (p <0.01) ConclusionsBehavior about walking in the activities of daily life is different between sexes. Living in walkable neighborhoods is a protective factor for women.

Association between the built environment and active transportation among U.S. adolescents

IntroductionAs a major determinant of obesity and cardiovascular disease in the United States, decreasing physical activity (PA) has led researchers to study factors influencing daily PA. One opportunity for modifying PA is in relation to transportation to and from school and/or work. We examined the association between characteristics of the built environment of home neighborhoods and transportation-related PA to school or work among youth and emerging adults. MethodsThe data were drawn from Waves 1 and 4 of the NEXT Generation Health Study (n = 2780), a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study starting with 10th grade (Wave 1) in the 2009–2010 school year. Modes of travel to/from school were categorized into three groups: those using active transportation (walking/cycling), public transportation, and passive transportation (being driven or chauffeured/driving). Neighborhood characteristics included land use mix, street connectivity, residence density, park density, recreational density, and walkability. Multinomial logistic regressions and one-way ANOVAs were used to examine multivariate associations between modes of travel to and from work/school and neighborhood characteristics. Analysis accounted for complex survey features including stratification, clustering and sampling weights. ResultsAfter controlling for covariates (i.e., ethnicity, sex, education, and socioeconomic status), more land use diversity, street connectivity, residence density, and walkability were significantly correlated with active transportation in both waves and more park and recreational density were significantly correlated with active transportation in Wave 1, compared with passive transportation. ConclusionsMore mixed land use, greater connected streets as well as higher walkability and density of residence, parks and recreational facilities were associated with active transportation; suggesting city planning officials may consider creating more walkable and liveable communities to promote daily transportation-related PA.

The Relation between Objective and Perceived Physical Characteristics of a Neighborhood Environment for Older People

This paper aims to investigate the relation between objective and perceived neighbourhood walkability and its influence on the physical activity level of older adults. The relationships were used to measure older people's neighbourhood liveability, whereas physical activity relates to older people's quality of life in Johor Bahru neighbourhoods, Malaysia. The study outcomes show residents in a highly dense area with higher accessibility to facilities perceived higher walkability but showed a lower physical activity level. Residents in high intersection density areas who recognised high walkability demonstrated higher physical activity level, whereas residents in a highly dense area with higher accessibility show lower physical activity level.Keywords: Active ageing; physical neighbourhood environment; neighbourhood liveability; quality of lifeeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning &amp; Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i11.1732

The influence of environmental and health indicators on premature mortality: An empirical analysis of the City of Toronto's 140 neighborhoods.

The objective of this paper was to assess the link between premature mortality and a combination of neighbourhood contextual (environmental and health) and compositional (socioeconomic and demographic) characteristics. We statistically and spatially examined six environmental variables (ultrafine particles, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic pollutants, pollution released to air, tree cover, and walkability index), six health service indicators (number health providers, breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening uptake rates, student nutrition program uptake rates, and healthy food index), and eight socioeconomic indicators (total income, Gini coefficient, two age categories - below and above 40 years, proportion of females to males, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, education, less than grade 9) among 140 neighbourhoods of the City of Toronto in Ontario (Canada). We applied principal component analysis to identify patterns and to reduce the number of explanatory variables into combined component axes that represent unique variation in these confounded and overlapping factors. We then applied regression analysis to model the relationship between the indices of enviro-health and socioeconomics and their potential relationship with premature mortality. Residual spatial analysis was used to investigate any remaining spatial structure (such as neighbourhoods with higher residual premature mortality rates). Neighbourhood Equity Index was correlated with our enviro-health and socioeconomic indices. Premature mortality within neighbourhoods was predicted by poor cancer screenings, pollution, lack of tree canopy, increased uptake of student nutrition programs and high walkability index. A negative association between premature mortality and pollution was associated low walkability index and presence of visible minorities within neighbourhoods. There was some unexplained residual spatial variation in our model of premature mortality - especially along the shores of Lake Ontario and in neighbourhoods with major highways or road corridors: premature mortality in Toronto neighbourhoods was higher than expected along highway-corridor neighbourhoods and shorelines. Our analysis revealed a significant relationship between neighbourhood contextual features - both environmental and health - and premature mortality, suggesting that these contextual components of neighbourhoods can predict rates of urban premature mortality in Toronto.

Built urban environment and functional incapacity: Enabling healthy aging

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the associations among neighborhood walkability and functional disability in older adults. MethodsThe study included a community-based, random sample of 410 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years old in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variable was functional disability, which was assessed by investigating the difficulty in performing or the requirement of help to perform the activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Older adults with functional disability were those who reported difficulty in performing six or more activities or a complete inability to perform at least three activities. The environmental are also evaluated. Confounding variables were selected using directed acyclic graphs, and multilevel logistic regression models were used to test the associations between the variables. ResultsOlder adults living in areas with higher walkability had lower odds ratios for functional disability, even after adjustment for possible confounding variables. ConclusionsWhile additional research is required to evaluate these neighborhood features in more detail and determine the causality, promoting simple changes in the built environment may be more effective in minimizing disability as the population ages than the efforts to change risk factors at the individual level.

Reconciling opposing perceptions of access to physical activity in a gentrifying urban neighborhood.

We sought to understand perspectives on access to physical activity in a gentrifying neighborhood. This qualitative descriptive study used street intercept interviews and photo documentation. Participants included members (n=19) of a gentrifying neighborhood in a northeastern city. Participants held markedly different perceptions of opportunities for physical activity. Some participants, particularly area university students or those who are identified as White, perceived the neighborhood as favorable to physical activity, with high walkability and abundant resources. Other participants, particularly those who identified as Black or African-American, felt it was difficult to be physically active because neighborhood recreation facilities are scarce or unaffordable and parks are poorly maintained or unsafe. Multiple participants noted strategies to overcome neighborhood barriers to physical activity. Regardless of neighborhood perceptions, family and friends played an important role in influencing physical activity. Nurses must consider how disparities in actual and perceived access to neighborhood resources influence participation in physical activity, particularly in gentrifying neighborhood. Public health nurses are embedded in the neighborhoods that they serve, providing a unique opportunity to understand and address the impact of neighborhood on health.

Abstract P101: Neighborhood Walkability and Risk of Hypertension

Introduction: Over the past decade, studies on associations between built environments and health outcomes have exponentially increased, particularly regarding walkability. Some studies have shown associations between walkability and lower blood pressure, as well as other cardiometabolic risk factors. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between objectively measured neighborhood walkability and incidence of hypertension in older adults in a national cohort study in the United States. Methods: Neighborhood walkability was measured by Walk Score, and scores were generated for participants in the Reasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke Study (REGARDS, n=30,172). Descriptive statistics were reported by the categories of Walk Score: Car-Dependent, Somewhat Walkable, Very Walkable, and Walker’s Paradise. Associations between walkability and blood pressure were tested both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Covariates included age, race, sex, geographical region, income, education, health behaviors (i.e., smoking, alcohol use, exercise), and cardiovascular comorbidities (i.e., dyslipidemia, diabetes). Linear models tested associations between Walk Score and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Logistic regression models tested associations between Walk Score and incident, prevalent, and treated hypertension. Results: In adjusted analyses, Walk Score category was not associated with incident hypertension in the entire cohort. However, among white participants, a higher Walk Score category was associated with a lower odds of incident hypertension. In secondary analyses, higher Walk Score category was associated with lower odds of treated hypertension (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.97, p=0.03). Higher Walk Score was linearly associated with higher diastolic blood pressure cross-sectionally in black participants but not among the entire cohort (P-interaction=0.02). Conclusions: We found limited evidence that higher walkability was an important contributor to hypertension. Further studies are needed to understand the associations between walkability and cardiovascular health outcomes. A better understanding of the relationship between residential features and hypertension could potentially help redefine intervention strategies for cardiovascular disease risk reduction.

Analysis of Self-Reported Walking for Transit in a Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area in the Western U.S.

Walkability is associated with increased levels of physical activity and improved health and sustainability. The sprawling design of many metropolitan areas of the western U.S., such as Las Vegas, influences their walkability. The purpose of this study was to consider sprawl characteristics along with well-known correlates of walkability to determine what factors influence self-reported minutes of active transportation. Residents from four neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, targeted for their high and low walkability scores, were surveyed for their perceptions of street-connectivity, residential-density, land-use mix, and retail–floor-area ratio and sprawl characteristics including distance between crosswalks, single-entry-communities, high-speed streets, shade, and access to transit. A Poisson model provided the best estimates for minutes of active transportation and explained 11.28% of the variance. The model that included sprawl characteristics resulted in a better estimate of minutes of active transportation compared to the model without them. The results indicate that increasing walkability in urban areas such as Las Vegas requires an explicit consideration of its sprawl characteristics. Not taking such design characteristics into account may result in the underestimation of the influence of sprawl on active transportation and may result in a missed opportunity to increase walking. Understanding the correlates of walkability at the local level is important in successfully promoting walking as a means to increase active transportation and improve community health and sustainability.

Area-Level Walkability and the Geographic Distribution of High Body Mass in Sydney, Australia: A Spatial Analysis Using the 45 and Up Study

Improving the walkability of built environments to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce high body mass is increasingly considered in regional development plans. Walkability indexes have the potential to inform, benchmark and monitor these plans if they are associated with variation in body mass outcomes at spatial scales used for health and urban planning. We assessed relationships between area-level walkability and prevalence and geographic variation in overweight and obesity using an Australian population-based cohort comprising 92,157 Sydney respondents to the 45 and Up Study baseline survey between January 2006 and April 2009. Individual-level data on overweight and obesity were aggregated to 2006 Australian postal areas and analysed as a function of area-level Sydney Walkability Index quartiles using conditional auto regression spatial models adjusted for demographic, social, economic, health and socioeconomic factors. Both overweight and obesity were highly clustered with higher-than-expected prevalence concentrated in the urban sprawl region of western Sydney, and lower-than-expected prevalence in central and eastern Sydney. In fully adjusted spatial models, prevalence of overweight and obesity was 6% and 11% lower in medium-high versus low, and 10% and 15% lower in high versus low walkability postcodes, respectively. Postal area walkability explained approximately 20% and 9% of the excess spatial variation in overweight and obesity that remained after accounting for other individual- and area-level factors. These findings provide support for the potential of area-level walkability indexes to inform, benchmark and monitor regional plans aimed at targeted approaches to reducing population-levels of high body mass through environmental interventions. Future research should consider potential confounding due to neighbourhood self-selection on area-level walkability relations.

Neighbourhood walkability and the incidence of diabetes: an inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis

BackgroundPeople living in highly walkable neighbourhoods tend to be more physically active and less likely to be obese. Whether walkable urban design reduces the future risk of diabetes is less...

Associations of local-area walkability with disparities in residents' walking and car use

Research has examined spatial distribution of physical activity, mostly focusing on between-area differences by examining associations of area-level walkability measures with physical activity. Within-area distribution is also relevant, since larger disparities in physical activity within an area can contribute to greater inequalities in health. However, associations of within-area disparity in walking and walkability have been examined only at a large geographical scale (city level). This cross-sectional study examined associations of local-area walkability measures with within-area disparities in residents' walking and car use, using data collected in the 2009 South-East Queensland Travel Survey in Australia. For each Statistical Area 2 (SA2), we calculated disparity indices of the duration of walking and car use among participants aged 18–84 years, using Gini coefficients. Linear regression examined associations of the disparity measures with population density, street connectivity, and Walk Score. Analyses were conducted for 196 SA2s, which contained 15,895 participants. Higher walkability was associated with lower levels of disparity in walking and higher levels of disparity in car use, regardless of the measures used. Each one-SD increment in Walk Score was associated with a 0.64 lower SD in walking disparity and a 0.50 higher SD in car-use disparity, after adjusting for covariates. The associations remained significant after further adjusting for car ownership. Higher walkability is known to be associated with more walking and less car use. This study extends previous knowledge by showing that higher local-area walkability can be associated with less inequality in residents' walking and higher diversity in their car use.

How are the built environment and household travel characteristics associated with children's active transport in Melbourne, Australia?

BackgroundChildren's active transport (AT) is a potential source of habitual physical activity with established health benefits. We aimed to examine built environment and household travel characteristics as predictors of AT to school and total daily duration of physical activity accumulated via AT. MethodsCross-sectional household travel survey data from 713 households with children aged 5–12 years (n = 1024) residing < 2 km from school (i.e. walking distance) across Melbourne, Australia (2012–16) were combined with objectively-measured distance to school and walkability (based on intersection density, housing density, land use mix) around home and school. Multilevel multivariable modified-Poisson regression analyses examined built environment variables (distance to school, walkability, traffic) and household travel behaviours (children's and adults’ trip chaining, adult accompaniment to school) as predictors of: (1) AT to school; (2) total daily duration of AT of ≥ 20 min; adjusted for spatial clustering (at SA1 level) and household variables (income, employment, cars, bicycles). ResultsMost children (80%) had adult accompaniment to school but only 28% walked/cycled with an adult. Overall, 39% of children used AT to school and 24% accrued ≥ 20 min of AT-related physical activity. AT to school was positively associated with higher (rather than lower) walkability around home and school, direct travel (not trip chaining) and residing close to school (< 0.75 km rather than ≥ 1.25 km), and negatively associated with adult accompaniment and longer distance travelled onward in adult trip chains. AT of ≥ 20 min duration daily was positively associated with higher walkability around school, direct travel to/from school; and negatively associated with adult accompaniment to, and distance trip chained onward from, school. ConclusionsTo increase AT to school it is worth investing in infrastructure designed to improve walkability around schools, coupled with campaigns that target whole households to promote age-appropriate independent mobility rather than adult accompaniment, which tends to involve children being driven.

Auditing street walkability and associated social inequalities for planning implications

Transport planning is gradually shifting targets towards modifying the pedestrian streetscapes that favor walking and enhance urban sustainability. We cannot be optimistic about walkability on condition that walkable streets are not evenly distributed within urban settings. Auditing the street walkability and associated social inequalities in developing countries should provide critical implications for transport planning. This paper identifies the most common indicators in existing indicator classification frameworks based on word frequency; and then establishes an indicator classification system (connectivity, accessibility, suitability, serviceability, and perceptibility) through expert panel evaluation for auditing street walkability in China. Using a case of Hangzhou metropolitan area, a set of 13 indicators are first selected by referring to the established indicator classification system and then aggregated into an integrated walkability index (IWI) through the catastrophe theory (CT) model after appropriate data treatment (standardization, normalization and correlation calculation). Camera signaling data are employed to validate the developed IWI. Results show that IWI is efficient to audit street walkability. IWI presents great heterogeneity at segment level. In general, higher walkability is observed in streets across the central and western areas. Walkability profiles of the segments are further produced by the clustering approach and the categorized groups can inform more targeted planning options. Spatial regression is finally utilized to quantify the associations between community socio-demographics and neighborhood IWI at two levels. We discover that lower neighborhood walkability would be observed in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. These results suggest that significant social inequalities in street walkability should exist across the communities within Hangzhou metropolitan area. The developed IWI not only brings a standardized measurement of street walkability in the field of transport planning, but also paves the way for addressing the social inequalities in street design across various jurisdictions.

Assessing Neighborhood Walkability Based on Usage Characteristics of Amenities under Chinese Metropolises Context

In the age of rapid motorization, walking, as both a green travelling mode and the most common form of daily physical activity, has been given increasing attention in Chinese metropolises. Walkability describes the extent to which a neighborhood environment is walking-friendly and recently has been regarded as a potential impetus for inflated housing prices. In this paper, we develop a walkability measurement model considering residents’ usage characteristics of the amenity, which incorporates three key factors: (1) amenity usage frequency; (2) amenity selection diversity; (3) the distance decay effect. Accordingly, we employ the proposed method to the case of Nanjing City and identify a clear spatial pattern of spatial heterogeneity in walkability among the 4143 dwelling areas within it. The experimental results suggest that the distribution of the residential walkability score varied greatly within Nanjing. It can be seen that dwelling areas with a high walkability score were clustered in the urban central regions and most dwelling areas showed a low walkability. Then, we utilized the hedonic price model to explore the correlation between neighborhood walkability and housing prices. The results show that the effects of community walkability on housing prices were statistically significant in Nanjing. Thus, we can infer that high walkability communities generally have concentrated rich amenity resources, and consequently have high property values.

Understanding walkable areas: applicability and analysis of a walkability index in a Brazilian city

Abstract Considering the growing of chronic non-communicable diseases worldwide, many studies have pointed out the role of the built environment as a support for walking. These studies are being applied in metropolitan and county regions or in specific areas of larger citiesof developed countries. Nevertheless, there is noevidences of the application of the walkability index in an entire Brazilian city. The main objective of this study is to understand walkable areas in a Brazilian medium sized city such as Cambé - PR, based on the walkability variables defined by Frank et al. (2010). The index systematizes four built environment variables: net residential density, retail floor area ratio, intersection density and land use mix. The results show that higher walkability areas are located in downtown and in three areas in the outskirts of Cambé, which were formerly designed to attend social housing projects. The transformations of land use mix and the urban layout characteristics of these areas improved the walkability level. This paper contributes to enlighten the characteristics of walkable areas and highlights a different outcome when considering a city of a developing country such as Brazil.

Multi-criteria analysis and network analysis for walkability score in Amphoe Muang, Nonthaburi, Thailand

Aim: This research focuses on finding the right footpath in Amphoe Mueang, Nonthaburi, by analyzing geographic factors to improve life quality.Method: Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) for finding walk score is useful tools to analyze geographic factors to improve the quality of life, social and economic. Methodology and data for walkability score are used Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and MCA by network analysis We used nine factors from two sets. First, connectivity factors: 1) betweenness and 2) centrality. Second, proximity from facility factors: 1) commercial 2) public transportation 3) landmarks 4) recreation 5) workplace 6) residential and 7) safety.Findings: The result showed that most of the high scores are located on the east side of the study area. In contrast, the low walkability score is located opposite the high score because they are in the suburban area where people need private cars rather than walk and purpose to residents only. Walkability Score from network analysis is one of many techniques to identify walking in urban areas. MCA is the efficiency tools for correct, analyze, scoring and prioritized factors together. It can add a good factor or eject a weak factor and normalize factor 1. The difference in weighting shows that people need to walk on the road that they should have happy, relax and take more activity if they can. So, they can work, eat and sleep in the same area.Implications/Novel Contribution: The walkability score results can help people who want to find accommodation or a job that can decide based on a good score or reasonable price of an apartment with high walkability.

The association between objective measures of residence and worksite neighborhood environment, and self-reported leisure-time physical activities: The Aichi Workers' Cohort Study

The possible effects of a neighborhood's built environment on physical activity have not been studied in Asian countries as much as in Western countries. The present study cross-sectionally examined the relationship between geographic information system (GIS) measured residence and worksite neighborhood walkability, and the number of parks/green spaces and sports facilities within a 1 km radius of home and workplace, with self-reported leisure-time habitual (3–4 times per week or more) walking and moderate-to-vigorous intensity habitual exercise among local government workers aged 18 to 64 years living in an urban-suburban area of Aichi, Japan in 2013. A single-level binomial regression model was used to estimate the multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Of the 1959 male and 884 female participants, 288 (15%) and 141 (16%) reported habitual walking, respectively, and 18% and 17% reported habitual exercise, respectively. Compared with women who resided in neighborhood with a walkability index of 4–30, those living in an area with that of 35–40 were significantly more likely to engage in leisure-time habitual exercise (multivariable OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.08–2.68). Marginally significant positive associations were found between leisure-time habitual exercise and the residential neighborhood's number of parks/green spaces among women, as well as the number of sports facilities among men. In conclusion, a residential neighborhood environment characterized by higher walkability may contribute to the initiation or maintenance of moderate-to-vigorous intensity leisure-time exercise among working women living in an urban-suburban area of Japan.