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Neighborhood walkability and body mass index trajectories: Longitudinal study of Canadians

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  • Wasfi, R.A.
  • Dasgupta, K.
  • Orpana, H.
  • Ross, N.A.

Abstract

Objectives. To assess the impact of neighborhood walkability on body mass index (BMI) trajectories of urban Canadians. Methods. Data are from Canada's National Population Health Survey (n = 2935; biannual assessments 1994-2006). We measured walkability with the Walk Score. We modeled body mass index (BMI, defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters [kg/m2]) trajectories as a function of Walk Score and sociodemographic and behavioral covariates with growth curve models and fixed-effects regression models. Results. In men, BMI increased annually by an average of 0.13 kg/m2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11, 0.14) over the 12 years of follow-up. Moving to a high-walkable neighborhood (2 or more Walk Score quartiles higher) decreased BMI trajectories for men by approximately 1 kg/m2 (95% CI = -1.16, -0.17). Moving to a low-walkable neighborhood increased BMI for men by approximately 0.45 kg/m2 (95% CI = 0.01, 0.89). There was no detectable influence of neighborhood walkability on body weight for women. Conclusions. Our study of a large sample of urban Canadians followed for 12 years confirms that neighborhood walkability influences BMI trajectories for men, and may be influential in curtailing male age-related weight gain.

Suggested Citation

  • Wasfi, R.A. & Dasgupta, K. & Orpana, H. & Ross, N.A., 2016. "Neighborhood walkability and body mass index trajectories: Longitudinal study of Canadians," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(5), pages 934-940.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303096_1
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303096
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    Cited by:

    1. Samantha Hajna & Kaberi Dasgupta & Nancy A. Ross, 2018. "Laboratory-Assessed Markers of Cardiometabolic Health and Associations with GIS-Based Measures of Active-Living Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Lussier-Tomaszewski, P. & Boisjoly, G., 2021. "Thinking regional and acting local: Assessing the joint influence of local and regional accessibility on commute mode in Montreal, Canada," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Rongrong Zhang & Song Liu & Ming Li & Xiong He & Chunshan Zhou, 2021. "The Effect of High-Density Built Environments on Elderly Individuals’ Physical Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Suin Jin & Eun Jung Kim, 2024. "Correlation of the Walk Score and Environmental Perceptions with Perceived Neighborhood Walkability: The Quantile Regression Model Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Jingyuan Zhang & Puay Yok Tan & Hui Zeng & Ye Zhang, 2019. "Walkability Assessment in a Rapidly Urbanizing City and Its Relationship with Residential Estate Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Eun Jung Kim & Jiyeong Kim & Hyunjung Kim, 2020. "Neighborhood Walkability and Active Transportation: A Correlation Study in Leisure and Shopping Purposes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-16, March.
    7. Darren J. Mayne & Geoffrey G. Morgan & Bin B. Jalaludin & Adrian E. Bauman, 2019. "Area-Level Walkability and the Geographic Distribution of High Body Mass in Sydney, Australia: A Spatial Analysis Using the 45 and Up Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-29, February.

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