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Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity

Author

Listed:
  • Ann Forsyth

    (Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, 106 West Sibley Hall, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA, af16@cornell.edu)

  • Mary Hearst

    (Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Room 300 WBOB, 7525, 1300 S 2nd Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55454, USA, onei0085@umn.edu)

  • J. Michael Oakes

    (Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Room 431 WBOB, 7525, 1300 S 2 nd Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55454, USA, oakes@epi.umn.edu)

  • Kathryn H. Schmitz

    (Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 921, 8th Floor, Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA 19104 6021, USA, schmitz@mail.med.upenn.edu)

Abstract

Do people walk more, or less, depending on the physical character of their residential areas rather than merely their individual characteristics? This paper reports findings for the Twin Cities, Minnesota, about how walking and total physical activity are affected by street pattern, `pedestrian-oriented' infrastructure and amenities, and mixed use or destinations—in shorthand, design and destinations. The effects of density are dealt with in less depth. Like earlier studies, it finds that walking for specific purposes (i.e. travel or leisure) varies in relation to the physical characteristics of places. However, this study using multiple measures of overall walking and physical activity suggests that socially similar people do the same total amount of physical activity in different kinds of places and that level of activity is, on average, low.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Forsyth & Mary Hearst & J. Michael Oakes & Kathryn H. Schmitz, 2008. "Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(9), pages 1973-1996, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:45:y:2008:i:9:p:1973-1996
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098008093386
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Sabel, C.E. & Kihal, W. & Bard, D. & Weber, C., 2013. "Creation of synthetic homogeneous neighbourhoods using zone design algorithms to explore relationships between asthma and deprivation in Strasbourg, France," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 110-121.
    4. Koh, Puay Ping & Wong, Yiik Diew, 2013. "Comparing pedestrians’ needs and behaviours in different land use environments," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 43-50.
    5. Forsyth, Ann & Lytle, Leslie & Van Riper, David, 2010. "Finding food: Issues and challenges in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to measure food access," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 3(1), pages 43-65.
    6. Kenneth Joh & Sandip Chakrabarti & Marlon G. Boarnet & Ayoung Woo, 2015. "The Walking Renaissance: A Longitudinal Analysis of Walking Travel in the Greater Los Angeles Area, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-27, July.
    7. Eun Jung Kim & Jaewoong Won & Jiyeong Kim, 2019. "Is Seoul Walkable? Assessing a Walkability Score and Examining Its Relationship with Pedestrian Satisfaction in Seoul, Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. 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.
    9. Arlie Adkins & Carrie Makarewicz & Michele Scanze & Maia Ingram & Gretchen Luhr, 2017. "Contextualizing Walkability: Do Relationships Between Built Environments and Walking Vary by Socioeconomic Context?," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 83(3), pages 296-314, July.
    10. 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.
    11. Shu Ng & Edward Norton & David Guilkey & Barry Popkin, 2012. "Estimation of a dynamic model of weight," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 413-443, April.
    12. 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.
    13. Ng, Shu Wen & Norton, Edward C. & Popkin, Barry M., 2009. "Why have physical activity levels declined among Chinese adults? Findings from the 1991-2006 China health and nutrition surveys," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1305-1314, April.
    14. Feuillet, T. & Commenges, H. & Menai, M. & Salze, P. & Perchoux, C. & Reuillon, R. & Kesse-Guyot, E. & Enaux, C. & Nazare, J.-A. & Hercberg, S. & Simon, C. & Charreire, H. & Oppert, J.M., 2018. "A massive geographically weighted regression model of walking-environment relationships," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 118-129.
    15. Bongiorno, Christian & Santucci, Daniele & Kon, Fabio & Santi, Paolo & Ratti, Carlo, 2019. "Comparing bicycling and pedestrian mobility: Patterns of non-motorized human mobility in Greater Boston," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

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