This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Forsyth, A. Articles by Hearst, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Does Residential Density Increase Walking and Other Physical Activity?

Metropolitan Design Centre, University of Minnesota, 1 Rapson Hall, 89 Church Street SE, Minneapolois, MN 55455, USA, Forsyth{at}umn.edu

J. Michael Oakes

Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA, oakes{at}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{at}cceb.med.upenn.edu

Mary Hearst

Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA, hearst{at}epi.umn.edu

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.

Urban Studies, Vol. 44, No. 4, 679-697 (2007)
DOI: 10.1080/00420980601184729


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Oakes, A. Forsyth, M. O. Hearst, and K. H. Schmitz Recruiting Participants for Neighborhood Effects Research: Strategies and Outcomes of the Twin Cities Walking Study Environment and Behavior, November 1, 2009; 41(6): 787 - 805. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. F. Coogan, L. F. White, T. J. Adler, K. M. Hathaway, J. R. Palmer, and L. Rosenberg Prospective Study of Urban Form and Physical Activity in the Black Women's Health Study Am. J. Epidemiol., November 1, 2009; 170(9): 1105 - 1117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Gleeson Critical Commentary. Waking from the Dream: An Australian Perspective on Urban Resilience Urban Stud, December 1, 2008; 45(13): 2653 - 2668. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Forsyth, M. Hearst, J. M. Oakes, and K. H. Schmitz Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity Urban Stud, August 1, 2008; 45(9): 1973 - 1996. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. L. Brown, A. J. Khattak, and D. A. Rodriguez Neighbourhood Types, Travel and Body Mass: A Study of New Urbanist and Suburban Neighbourhoods in the US Urban Stud, April 1, 2008; 45(4): 963 - 988. [Abstract] [PDF]