IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i6p2060-d334740.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do the Walkability and Urban Leisure Amenities of Neighborhoods Affect the Body Mass Index of Individuals? Based on a Case Study in Seoul, South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Yunwon Choi

    (Interdisciplinary Program in Landscape Architecture, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea)

  • Heeyeun Yoon

    (Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural Systems Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-921, Korea
    Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-921, Korea)

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of neighborhood-built environments on obesity in interrelationship with socioeconomic status (SES)—controlling for dietary patterns and physical activities of residents—using structural equation modeling (SEM). A total of 577 samples who are between 19 and 64 years old and reside in Seoul are extracted from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES), 2015. Neighborhood environments are represented as the two latent constructs—walkability and leisure amenities—composited with indicators such as density of intersections, density of mixed-use area, and the area of open spaces and are aggregated by jurisdictional unit in Seoul. We found that greater walkability in a neighborhood explained a lower body mass index (BMI) among residents, whereas more urban leisure amenities in a neighborhood explained a higher BMI. The finding suggests that a walking-friendly environment is more effective than active recreational amenities in inducing people to engage in daily physical activities to the level that reduces obesity rate. SES exerted a negative impact on BMI of a greater magnitude than the impact of either of the environmental living conditions, reinforcing the importance of general wealth and education level in leading to a healthy lifestyle. Our research contributes to growing evidence of a relationship between obesity and the built environment in the context of Asian countries where the prevalence of obesity is becoming a serious issue and requires immediate attention.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunwon Choi & Heeyeun Yoon, 2020. "Do the Walkability and Urban Leisure Amenities of Neighborhoods Affect the Body Mass Index of Individuals? Based on a Case Study in Seoul, South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2060-:d:334740
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/2060/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/2060/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sugiyama, T. & Francis, J. & Middleton, N.J. & Owen, N. & Giles-CortI, B., 2010. "Associations between recreational walking and attractiveness, size, and proximity of neighborhood open spaces," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(9), pages 1752-1757.
    2. Reid Ewing & Robert Cervero, 2010. "Travel and the Built Environment," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 76(3), pages 265-294.
    3. Golob, Thomas F., 2003. "Structural equation modeling for travel behavior research," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. Heeyeun Yoon, 2018. "When and where do we see the proximity effect of a new park? –A case study of the Dream Forest in Seoul, Korea," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(7), pages 1113-1136, June.
    5. Sarah A. Costigan & Jenny Veitch & David Crawford & Alison Carver & Anna Timperio, 2017. "A Cross-Sectional Investigation of the Importance of Park Features for Promoting Regular Physical Activity in Parks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-10, November.
    6. Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, S. & Silventoinen, K. & Lahelma, E., 2004. "Relative Weight and Income at Different Levels of Socioeconomic Status," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(3), pages 468-472.
    7. Lovasi, G.S. & Neckerman, K.M. & Quinn, J.W. & Weiss, C.C. & Rundle, A., 2009. "Effect of individual or neighborhood disadvantage on the association between neighborhood walkability and body mass index," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(2), pages 279-284.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ding, Yu & Lu, Huapu, 2016. "Activity participation as a mediating variable to analyze the effect of land use on travel behavior: A structural equation modeling approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 23-28.
    2. Hamdi Lemamsha & Chris Papadopoulos & Gurch Randhawa, 2018. "Perceived Environmental Factors Associated with Obesity in Libyan Men and Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Bradley Bereitschaft, 2017. "Equity in Microscale Urban Design and Walkability: A Photographic Survey of Six Pittsburgh Streetscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Silva, Mafalda C. & Horta, Isabel M. & Leal, Vítor & Oliveira, Vítor, 2017. "A spatially-explicit methodological framework based on neural networks to assess the effect of urban form on energy demand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 386-398.
    5. Xavier Delclòs-Alió & Oriol Marquet & Guillem Vich & Jasper Schipperijn & Kai Zhang & Monika Maciejewska & Carme Miralles-Guasch, 2019. "Temperature and Rain Moderate the Effect of Neighborhood Walkability on Walking Time for Seniors in Barcelona," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Timothée Cuignet & Camille Perchoux & Geoffrey Caruso & Olivier Klein & Sylvain Klein & Basile Chaix & Yan Kestens & Philippe Gerber, 2020. "Mobility among older adults: Deconstructing the effects of motility and movement on wellbeing," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(2), pages 383-401, February.
    7. Michael, Yvonne L. & Nagel, Corey L. & Gold, Rachel & Hillier, Teresa A., 2014. "Does change in the neighborhood environment prevent obesity in older women?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 129-137.
    8. Yusak O. Susilo & Chengxi Liu, 2016. "The influence of parents’ travel patterns, perceptions and residential self-selectivity to their children travel mode shares," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 357-378, March.
    9. Haghani, Milad & Bliemer, Michiel C.J. & Hensher, David A., 2021. "The landscape of econometric discrete choice modelling research," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    10. Jonas De Vos & Long Cheng & Frank Witlox, 2021. "Do changes in the residential location lead to changes in travel attitudes? A structural equation modeling approach," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 2011-2034, August.
    11. Etminani-Ghasrodashti, Roya & Ardeshiri, Mahyar, 2016. "The impacts of built environment on home-based work and non-work trips: An empirical study from Iran," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 196-207.
    12. Claudia Fongar & Geir Aamodt & Thomas B. Randrup & Ingjerd Solfjeld, 2019. "Does Perceived Green Space Quality Matter? Linking Norwegian Adult Perspectives on Perceived Quality to Motivation and Frequency of Visits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-16, July.
    13. Tae-Hyoung Tommy Gim, 2018. "An Analysis of the Relationship between Land Use and Weekend Travel: Focusing on the Internal Capture of Trips," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-17, February.
    14. Bojing Liao & Pauline E. W. van den Berg & Pieter J. V. van Wesemael & Theo A. Arentze, 2020. "How Does Walkability Change Behavior? A Comparison between Different Age Groups in the Netherlands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-14, January.
    15. Julia Koschinsky & Emily Talen & Mariela Alfonzo & Sungduck Lee, 2017. "How walkable is Walker’s paradise?," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 44(2), pages 343-363, March.
    16. Dharmowijoyo, Dimas B.E. & Susilo, Yusak O. & Karlström, Anders, 2016. "Relationships among discretionary activity duration, its travel time spent and activity space indices in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area, Indonesia," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 148-160.
    17. Marquet, Oriol & Miralles-Guasch, Carme, 2014. "Walking short distances. The socioeconomic drivers for the use of proximity in everyday mobility in Barcelona," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 210-222.
    18. Ding, Chuan & Wang, Donggen & Liu, Chao & Zhang, Yi & Yang, Jiawen, 2017. "Exploring the influence of built environment on travel mode choice considering the mediating effects of car ownership and travel distance," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 65-80.
    19. Amer Habibullah & Nawaf Alhajaj & Ahmad Fallatah, 2022. "One-Kilometer Walking Limit during COVID-19: Evaluating Accessibility to Residential Public Open Spaces in a Major Saudi City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    20. Lee, Sungwon & Lee, Bumsoo, 2014. "The influence of urban form on GHG emissions in the U.S. household sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 534-549.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2060-:d:334740. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.