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Does Residential Density Increase Walking and Other Physical Activity?

Author

Listed:
  • Ann Forsyth

    (Metropolitan Design Centre, University of Minnesota, 1 Rapson Hall, 89 Church Street SE, Minneapolois, MN 55455, USA, Forsyth@umn.edu)

  • J. Michael Oakes

    (Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA, oakes@epi.umn. edu)

  • Kathryn H. Schmitz

    (Division of Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 921 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, kschmitz@cceb.med.upenn.edu)

  • Mary Hearst

    (Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA, hearst@epi.umn.edu)

Abstract

Many agree that increasing physical activity will improve public health. This paper reports on empirical findings on the relationship between the density of the residential environment, walking and total physical activity. Using multiple objective and self-reported measures for 715 participants in the US, and improved techniques for sampling and analysis, it finds that density is associated with the purpose of walking (travel, leisure) but not the amount of overall walking or overall physical activity, although there are sub-group differences by race/ ethnicity. Overall, higher densities have many benefits in terms of efficient use of infrastructure, housing affordability, energy efficiency and possibly vibrant street life. But higher densities alone, like other built environment features, do not appear to be the silver bullet in the public health campaign to increase physical activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Forsyth & J. Michael Oakes & Kathryn H. Schmitz & Mary Hearst, 2007. "Does Residential Density Increase Walking and Other Physical Activity?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(4), pages 679-697, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:44:y:2007:i:4:p:679-697
    DOI: 10.1080/00420980601184729
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Oakes, J. Michael, 2004. "The (mis)estimation of neighborhood effects: causal inference for a practicable social epidemiology," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(10), pages 1929-1952, May.
    2. Cervero, Robert & Radisch, Carolyn, 1996. "Travel choices in pedestrian versus automobile oriented neighborhoods," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 127-141, July.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tae-Hyoung Gim, 2012. "A meta-analysis of the relationship between density and travel behavior," Transportation, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 491-519, May.
    3. Gerlinde Grasser & Delfien Dyck & Sylvia Titze & Willibald Stronegger, 2013. "Objectively measured walkability and active transport and weight-related outcomes in adults: a systematic review," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(4), pages 615-625, August.
    4. Scheiner, Joachim, 2010. "Interrelations between travel mode choice and trip distance: trends in Germany 1976–2002," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 75-84.
    5. Cho, Gi-Hyoug & Rodríguez, Daniel A., 2014. "The influence of residential dissonance on physical activity and walking: evidence from the Montgomery County, MD, and Twin Cities, MN, areas," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 259-267.
    6. Hearst, Mary O. & Sirard, John R. & Forsyth, Ann & Parker, Emily D. & Klein, Elizabeth G. & Green, Christine G. & Lytle, Leslie A., 2013. "The relationship of area-level sociodemographic characteristics, household composition and individual-level socioeconomic status on walking behavior among adults," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 149-157.
    7. Lizhen Zhao & Zhenjiang Shen & Yanji Zhang & Yan Ma, 2019. "The Impact of the Community Built Environment on the Walking Times of Residents in a Community in the Downtown Area of Fuzhou," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-11, January.
    8. David Gálvez Ruiz & Pilar Diaz Cuevas & Olta Braçe & Marco Garrido-Cumbrera, 2018. "Developing an Index to Measure Sub-municipal Level Urban Sprawl," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 929-952, December.
    9. Nico Larco & Jean Stockard & Bethany Steiner & Amanda West, 2013. "Trips to Strips: Walking and Site Design in Suburban Multifamily Housing," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 281-303, May.
    10. Tae-Hyoung Tommy Gim, 2017. "Full Random Coefficients Multilevel Modeling of the Relationship between Land Use and Trip Time on Weekdays and Weekends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-26, October.
    11. Millward, Hugh & Spinney, Jamie & Scott, Darren, 2013. "Active-transport walking behavior: destinations, durations, distances," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 101-110.
    12. Sun, Bindong & Yan, Hong & Zhang, Tinglin, 2017. "Built environmental impacts on individual mode choice and BMI: Evidence from China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 11-21.
    13. Neatt, Kevin & Millward, Hugh & Spinney, Jamie, 2017. "Neighborhood walking densities: A multivariate analysis in Halifax, Canada," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 9-16.
    14. 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.
    15. Schneider, Robert James, 2011. "Understanding Sustainable Transportation Choices: Shifting Routine Automobile Travel to Walking and Bicycling," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt06v2g6dh, University of California Transportation Center.
    16. Peiravian, Farideddin & Derrible, Sybil & Ijaz, Farukh, 2014. "Development and application of the Pedestrian Environment Index (PEI)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 73-84.

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