The built environment and utilitarian walking in small U.S. towns

• Published in: Preventive medicine Vol. 69; pp. 80 - 86
• Main Authors: Doescher, Mark P, Lee, Chanam, Berke, Ethan M, Adachi-Mejia, Anna M, Lee, Chun-kuen, Stewart, Orion, Patterson, Davis G, Hurvitz, Philip M, Carlos, Heather A, Duncan, Glen E, Moudon, Anne Vernez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.12.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Environment Design; Environment. Living conditions; Exercise/physical activity; Female; Health Behavior; Health promotion; Humans; Internal Medicine; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Physical environment; Prevention; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Residence Characteristics; Rural health; Rural Population; Self Report; Social environment; United States; Walking; Walking - statistics & numerical data; United States; Prevention; Social environment; Walking; Health promotion; Rural health; Exercise/physical activity; Physical environment; Physical exercise; Rural environment; Urban environment; Locomotion; Health and environment; Town; Urbanization; Public health; Life style
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.08.027

Abstract Objectives The role of the built environment on walking in rural United States (U.S.) locations is not well characterized. We examined self-reported and measured built environment correlates of walking for utilitarian purposes among adult residents of small rural towns. Methods In 2011–12, we collected telephone survey and geographic data from 2152 adults in 9 small towns from three U.S. regions. We performed mixed-effects logistic regression modeling to examine relationships between built environment measures and utilitarian walking (“any” versus “none”; “high” [≥ 150 min per week] versus “low” [< 150 min per week]) to retail, employment and public transit destinations. Results Walking levels were lower than those reported for populations living in larger metropolitan areas. Environmental factors significantly (p < 0.05) associated with higher odds of utilitarian walking in both models included self-reported presence of crosswalks and pedestrian signals and availability of park/natural recreational areas in the neighborhood, and also objectively measured manufacturing land use. Conclusions Environmental factors associated with utilitarian walking in cities and suburbs were important in small rural towns. Moreover, manufacturing land use was associated with utilitarian walking. Modifying the built environment of small towns could lead to increased walking in a sizeable segment of the U.S. population.