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Density, Destinations or Both? A Comparison of Measures of Walkability in Relation to Transportation Behaviors, Obesity and Diabetes in Toronto, Canada

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  • Richard H Glazier
  • Maria I Creatore
  • Jonathan T Weyman
  • Ghazal Fazli
  • Flora I Matheson
  • Peter Gozdyra
  • Rahim Moineddin
  • Vered Kaufman Shriqui
  • Gillian L Booth

Abstract

The design of suburban communities encourages car dependency and discourages walking, characteristics that have been implicated in the rise of obesity. Walkability measures have been developed to capture these features of urban built environments. Our objective was to examine the individual and combined associations of residential density and the presence of walkable destinations, two of the most commonly used and potentially modifiable components of walkability measures, with transportation, overweight, obesity, and diabetes. We examined associations between a previously published walkability measure and transportation behaviors and health outcomes in Toronto, Canada, a city of 2.6 million people in 2011. Data sources included the Canada census, a transportation survey, a national health survey and a validated administrative diabetes database. We depicted interactions between residential density and the availability of walkable destinations graphically and examined them statistically using general linear modeling. Individuals living in more walkable areas were more than twice as likely to walk, bicycle or use public transit and were significantly less likely to drive or own a vehicle compared with those living in less walkable areas. Individuals in less walkable areas were up to one-third more likely to be obese or to have diabetes. Residential density and the availability of walkable destinations were each significantly associated with transportation and health outcomes. The combination of high levels of both measures was associated with the highest levels of walking or bicycling (p

Suggested Citation

  • Richard H Glazier & Maria I Creatore & Jonathan T Weyman & Ghazal Fazli & Flora I Matheson & Peter Gozdyra & Rahim Moineddin & Vered Kaufman Shriqui & Gillian L Booth, 2014. "Density, Destinations or Both? A Comparison of Measures of Walkability in Relation to Transportation Behaviors, Obesity and Diabetes in Toronto, Canada," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0085295
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085295
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    1. Ferdinand, A.O. & Sen, B. & Rahurkar, S. & Engler, S. & Menachemi, N., 2012. "The relationship between built environments and physical activity: A systematic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(10), pages 7-13.
    2. Berke, E.M. & Koepsell, T.D. & Moudon, A.V. & Hoskins, R.E. & Larson, E.B., 2007. "Association of the built environment with physical activity and obesity in older persons," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(3), pages 486-492.
    3. Sallis, James F. & Saelens, Brian E. & Frank, Lawrence D. & Conway, Terry L. & Slymen, Donald J. & Cain, Kelli L. & Chapman, James E. & Kerr, Jacqueline, 2009. "Neighborhood built environment and income: Examining multiple health outcomes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1285-1293, April.
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