Relationship between urban sprawl and physical activity, obesity, and morbidity – Update and refinement

This study aims to model multiple health outcomes and behaviors in terms of the updated, refined, and validated county compactness/sprawl measures. Multiple health outcomes and behaviors are modeled using multi-level analysis. After controlling for observed confounding influences, both original and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & place 2014-03, Vol.26, p.118-126
Main Authors: Ewing, Reid, Meakins, Gail, Hamidi, Shima, Nelson, Arthur C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Body weight
Built environment
Chronic Disease - epidemiology
Chronic Disease - prevention & control
Compactness
Environment Design
Environment. Living conditions
Epidemiology
Exercise
Female
General aspects
Health status
Health technology assessment
Humans
Hypertension
Male
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Middle Aged
Mortality
Obesity
Obesity - prevention & control
Physical activity
Physical environment
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Sedentary Lifestyle
Spatial analysis
Sprawl
Suburban areas
Urban growth
Urban Renewal
Urban sprawl
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Description
Summary:This study aims to model multiple health outcomes and behaviors in terms of the updated, refined, and validated county compactness/sprawl measures. Multiple health outcomes and behaviors are modeled using multi-level analysis. After controlling for observed confounding influences, both original and new compactness measures are negatively related to BMI, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Indices are not significantly related to physical activity, perhaps because physical activity is not defined broadly to include active travel to work, shopping, and other destinations. Developing urban and suburban areas in a more compact manner may have some salutary effect on obesity and chronic disease trends.
ISSN:1353-8292
1873-2054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.12.008