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The effects of the physical environment on people's active behaviour have been a central topic over the last decade, particularly in urban design, public health, and transportation. Research on the impact of the built environment attributes on walkability still needs to be completed in developing countries. Literature on walkability demonstrated the effectiveness of the studies, which consider micro-scale elements when evaluating pedestrian street environments. We are interested in assessing urban design qualities at the micro-scale level, which would give more evidence on the walking conditions of a developing country. This study explores whether the typo-morphological aspect of selected routes in a medium-sized African city is associated with urban design qualities related to walkability and compares the combined scores of urban design qualities with other cities. According to our findings, the typo-morphological aspect of urban routes correlates with the evaluated urban design qualities. The results revealed a significant difference in these qualities between the old colonial and the post-independence fabrics, with imageability and complexity appearing to be the most influential qualities. The results showed that urban design qualities related to walkability in a mediumsized African city scored lower than in other urban contexts. This study has several implications for city planners and decision-makers looking to improve the walking environment of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban populations across the globe are ageing and much debate has centred on what constitutes an ‘age-friendly’ city. Historic environments, for example, often present physical challenges, such as steps and uneven surfaces – while today these are designed out. Smooth level surfaces, automatic doors and elevators to change level, require little exertion. However, has the fact that in order to keep our bodies healthy into older age, a level of physical exertion in our day to day lives is required, been overlooked? Can activity be designed back into environments without undoing the benefits of accessibility and causing harm to others? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving campus walkability can encourage students to walk and may inhibit the development of sedentary lifestyle habits, obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. This study aimed to formulate an optimized campus Walk Score (WS) measurement system that combines students' weekly demand for the use of facilities and unique campus environments. Bivariate correlation analysis and regression models were used to verify this system. The verified system was further applied to assess campus walkability and its influencing factors. The facility weight and walking time were established through questionnaires distributed on eight campuses in Tianjin, China. GIS and field audits were utilized to collect data on the objective built environment (BE), subjective environmental quality variables, and pedestrian volume (PV). Pearson's correlation analysis and Negative binomial regression models without spatial autocorrelation were used to verify the campus WS measurement system. The significant relationships between BE features and overall WS were found. PV was significantly correlated with overall WS and classified WSs. These findings were all found in the overall and three types of campuses. Therefore, our optimized system can be verified. Additionally, the WS was closely associated with facility distribution, planning mode, and other spatial attributes. Based on our results, how our findings can be utilized to promote campus walkability was proposed. • This study presented and verified a campus walkability measurement system based on the optimized Walk Score method. • Campus Walk Scores significantly correlated with built environment features and pedestrian volume. • The campus WS is closely associated with facility distribution, planning mode, and other spatial attributes. • Applications of the presented campus WS measurement system were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that walking as a method provides an integrative approach to advance epistemic justice in sustainability research. The theory and practice of walking as a method has grown quickly within the social sciences and arts but remains underrepresented in sustainability research, where walking is typically an object of study (e.g., urban walkability). We argue that walking should be valued as an important mode of knowledge production that simultaneously widens sustainability knowledge, integrates diverse knowledge systems, and supports transdisciplinary sustainability solutions. In this perspective article, we consider the following questions: (1) Why is walking important to sustainability knowledge? (2) How can walk-based methods advance epistemic justice in sustainability knowledge? (3) What outcomes might we expect from cultivating walking as a method for sustainability knowledge? We reflect on how walking as a method centers equity and the contributions of walk-based sustainability knowledge for research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between objectively assessed neighborhood walkability, walking difficulties, and participation in leisure activities among older people. Methods: Self-reported 2 km walking difficulty (intact, modifications, difficulties) at baseline and participating in organized group, outdoor recreation and cultural activities at baseline and follow-up were studied in community-dwelling persons (N = 848) aged 75–90. A walkability index, calculated using a geographic information system, was categorized into tertiles (lowest, middle, highest). Results: Residence in the highest walkability areas was associated with higher participation in cultural activities and lower participation in outdoor recreation, while the latter was most frequently reported by residents in the lowest walkability areas. Those reporting no difficulties were more likely than those reporting difficulties to participate in all studied activities. Residence in the middle or highest walkability areas predicted higher participation in cultural activities at follow-up. Discussion: Older persons activity profiles associate with neighborhood walkability and walking difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a field study analysing how pedestrians walked for leisure purposes in a familiar urban area, and why they walked as they did. Using mobile-based GPS, the walking trajectories of 44 participants were recorded, followed by the administration of a post-walk survey. Results show that participants gravitated towards five distinct paths that were similar in length (three shorter and two longer paths), yet observably different with respect to specific street features. Correspondingly, participants rated street features associated with these differences as factors that either attracted them towards, or repelled them away, from walking in specific streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban heritage regeneration strategy through walkability is widely accepted. However, in the context of a developing country, the tools to measure walkability, which are crucial for urban planning and development, still need to be improved. This article investigates ways to revitalise a run-down historic riverside area in Bangkok. It develops two indices, the Thai GoodWalk Index (TGWI) and the Thai Walkability Index (TWI). A hybrid of both indices is based on geospatial techniques and technology to optimise problem analysis processes, create problem-solving options, enhance spatial site selection decision capabilities, and assist urban planners in carrying out spatial scenario planning processes. It demonstrates how the GoodWalk Index has been employed to plan and prioritise urban development projects. This is exemplified by the Master Plan for the Regeneration of Kadeejeen-Klongsan, a historic riverside neighbourhood in Bangkok with limitations in density, functional mix of spaces, and access networks, especially in riverfront areas. The TGWI and TWI can be applied to the regeneration of other historic districts throughout Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was carried out in Rome to investigate whether street luminance affects pedestrians’ comfort, visibility and perception. Forty people walked five roads and assessed on a questionnaire their walking comfort, visibility of people and background, perception of lighting intensity and uniformity. Results indicated that walking comfort was affected by mean luminance of whole scene, of sidewalk, of lateral wall and of human body; luminance also influenced the perception of street lighting intensity and uniformity and, to a lesser extent, the visibility of other people and of background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During December 11, 2020-March 29, 2022, the US government delivered ≈700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to vaccination sites, resulting in vaccination of ≈75% of US adults during that period. We evaluated accessibility of vaccination sites. Sites were accessible by walking within 15 minutes by 46.6% of persons, 30 minutes by 74.8%, 45 minutes by 82.8%, and 60 minutes by 86.7%. When limited to populations in counties with high social vulnerability, accessibility by walking was 55.3%, 81.1%, 86.7%, and 89.4%, respectively. By driving, lowest accessibility was 96.5% at 15 minutes. For urban/rural categories, the 15-minute walking accessibility between noncore and large central metropolitan areas ranged from 27.2% to 65.1%; driving accessibility was 79.9% to 99.5%. By 30 minutes driving accessibility for all urban/rural categories was >95.9%. Walking time variations across jurisdictions and between urban/rural areas indicate that potential gains could have been made by improving walkability or making transportation more readily available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific evaluation and optimization of neighborhood walkability play a pivotal role in enhancing urban vitality and fostering green development. A model was initially constructed for evaluating urban neighborhoods walkability, which encompassed five dimensions and eighteen indicators based on Maslow's demand theory and Kano model. Subsequently, a combination of multi-source data and the improved CRITIC-entropy method was employed to assess the neighborhood walkability of Hefei City. Then the hotspot analysis was conducted to identify the spatial clusters of high and low values in each dimension, and the reasons for the creation of these clusters were analyzed. Finally, the concept of neighborhood vitality was introduced to explore the spatial matching relationship between the walkability and vitality using the bivariate Moran's index, and the methods for optimizing walkability were proposed. The results indicate that walkability can be evaluated based on Maslow's demand theory and Kano model from five dimensions: accessibility, convenience, safety, richness and comfortableness. What is more, significant spatial heterogeneity and autocorrelation of walkability are observed within the study area, along with disparities between walkability and neighborhood vitality. Building upon these findings, an optimization strategy of neighborhood walkability is proposed, which can provide a reference for the future design and renovation of walking space in Hefei City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active commuting to school can be a meaningful contributor to overall physical activity in children. To inform better micro-level urban design near schools that can support active commuting to school, there is a need for measures that capture these elements. This paper describes the adaptation of an observational instrument for use in assessing micro-scale environments around urban elementary schools in the United States. Methods: The Micro-scale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes for Safe Routes to School (MAPS-SRTS) was developed from existing audit instruments not designed for school travel environments and modifications for the MAPS-SRTS instrument include the structure of the audit tool sections, the content, the observation route, and addition of new subscales. Subscales were analyzed for inter-rater reliability in a sample of 36 schools in Austin, TX. To assess reliability for each subscale, one-way random effects single-measure intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used. Results: Compared to the 30 original subscales, the adapted MAPS-SRTS included 26 (86.6%) subscales with revised scoring algorithms. Most MAPS-SRTS subscales had acceptable inter-rater reliability, with an ICC of 0.97 for the revised audit tool. Conclusions: The MAPS-SRTS audit tool is a reliable instrument for measuring the school travel environment for research and evaluation purposes, such as assessing human-scale determinants of active commuting to school behavior and documenting built environment changes from infrastructure interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ubiquity of the concept of the complete community or neighborhood in Canadian planning practice and the recent spread of the idea in the United States, few scholars have examined the idea's development and implications. Based on a content and thematic analysis of 102 plans and policies representing all Canadian provinces and territories, along with 205 planner interviews, I argue that the complete community represents an integrative, scalable, and flexible planning theory originating from practice. Borrowing principles from other theories (such as smart growth and sustainable development), practitioners built the complete community idea bottom-up, as a persuasive rhetorical vehicle for describing planning intentions and justifying higher densities in positive ways. Contemporary planning values increasing urban densities, mix, and walkability. Here I illustrate how planners adapted to community resistance to ideas generated by external experts—and to efforts to increase growth and densities—by articulating a socially and politically positive option for urban transformation. The complete community concept places a halo over density, promising vibrancy and livability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of places for physical activity (PA) and the walkability of the neighborhood can impact the level of PA of adolescents. However, studies of this nature are still limited in Latin America. This study had two objectives: 1- using kernel density estimative, it investigated whether individuals living near PA places that are more intensely distributed than dispersed are more likely to be sufficiently active; 2—checked whether adolescents who live in neighborhoods with better walkability have a greater chance of being sufficiently active. Were evaluated 292 adolescents and PA was measured by accelerometry. Were measured five environmental variables for composing the walkability index. 98 PA points (places) were identified and destinations within these areas were geocoded and kernel density estimates (KDE) of places intensity were created using kernels (radius) of 400m (meters), 800, 1200 and 1600m. Using Logistic Regression, the association between the intensity of PA places (classified into quartiles Q1(smallest)—Q4(largest)) and the probability of being "Sufficient PA"; and the association between walkability (quartiles Q1(least)—Q4(highest)) and the probability of being "PA Sufficient " were estimated (p≤0.05). There were associations only for the intensities of places with the largest radius. Among adolescents who lived in places with higher intensity compared with lower intensity places: 1200m (Q3, OR 2.18 95% CI 1.12–4.22; Q4, OR 2.77 95% CI 1.41–5.43) and 1600m (Q3, OR 3.68 95%CI 1.86–7.30; Q4, OR 3.69 95%CI 1.86–7.30) were more likely to be "Sufficient PA". There were also associations for walkability, where those living in places with better walkability (Q4, OR 2.58 95% CI 1.33–5.02) had greater chances of being "Sufficient PA" compared to Q1. In conclusion, living in places with bigger densities and better walkability increases adolescent's chances of being "Sufficient PA". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) provides multiple health-related benefits in children and adolescents, however, at present, the majority of young people are insufficiently physically active. The aim of this study was to evaluate if neighborhood walkability and/or socio-economic status (SES) could affect the practice of walking, play outdoors and sports practice in a representative sample of Spanish children and adolescents. Methods: A sample of 4092 youth (aged 8–16 years old) from 245 primary and secondary schools in 121 localities from each of the 17 Spanish autonomous communities participated in the study. Walk Score was used to evaluate walkability of the neighborhood and household income was used as an indicator of SES. A 7-item self-reported validated questionnaire, was used to assess PA levels, and in a subsample of 10% of the participants, randomly selected from the entire sample, PA was objectively measured by accelerometers. Results: Youth from more walkable areas reported more minutes walking per day compared with those from less walkable neighborhoods (51.4 vs 48.8 minutes, respectively). The lowest average minutes spent in playing outdoors was found among participants from low-SES and low-walkable neighborhoods. Neighborhood SES influenced on the participation in team sports during the weekend, being this participation higher in high SES neighborhoods. Conclusion: Providing high walkable environments seems a good strategy to promote PA regardless SES levels. It seems that improving the walkability is a key component to partially overcome the SES inequalities, especially in urban areas with low SES. High-SES environments can offer better sports facilities and more organized physical activities than low-SES ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractProblem, research strategy, and findingsTakeaway for practiceAs active transport planning gains momentum worldwide, our study underscores the importance of connecting people and places by focusing on the convenience dimension of walkability. Specifically, we used the pedestrian detour ratio (PDR) to measure the degree of circuity of a walking route. We considered residential buildings as origins and 10 different types of public facilities as destinations within the walkable range of 1 km. This led to a territory-wide analysis covering 3.85 million origin–destination pairs in Hong Kong. Overall, walking convenience was the best in the central business district (CBD), but variations existed by district and by facility. Through an assessment matrix, 35.8% of home–destination pairs required attention. When examined at the street block and village cluster levels, walking inconvenience was associated with vehicle-oriented street blocks (with higher vehicular traffic and more private parking spaces), high-income areas, and difficult terrain. Pedestrian crossings, major roads, and bus stops enhanced route directness. This research is a first step in helping quantify the PDR distribution across different cities and their various functional areas.In areas where walking is inconvenient, treatments to calm vehicular traffic and facilitate pedestrian crossings should be stipulated. In the longer term, we recommend integrating the PDR in the design and planning of streets, especially around essential facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Active commuting to school can be a meaningful contributor to overall physical activity in children. To inform better micro-level urban design near schools that can support active commuting to school, there is a need for measures that capture these elements. This paper describes the adaptation of an observational instrument for use in assessing micro-scale environments around urban elementary schools in the United States. Methods The Micro-scale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes for Safe Routes to School (MAPS-SRTS) was developed from existing audit instruments not designed for school travel environments and modifications for the MAPS-SRTS instrument include the structure of the audit tool sections, the content, the observation route, and addition of new subscales. Subscales were analyzed for inter-rater reliability in a sample of 36 schools in Austin, TX. To assess reliability for each subscale, one-way random effects single-measure intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used. Results Compared to the 30 original subscales, the adapted MAPS-SRTS included 26 (86.6%) subscales with revised scoring algorithms. Most MAPS-SRTS subscales had acceptable inter-rater reliability, with an ICC of 0.97 for the revised audit tool. Conclusions The MAPS-SRTS audit tool is a reliable instrument for measuring the school travel environment for research and evaluation purposes, such as assessing human-scale determinants of active commuting to school behavior and documenting built environment changes from infrastructure interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth's perceptions of a city or neighbourhood's walkability are important for determining the physical activity (PA) friendliness of their environment. Traditional objective measures of walkability fail to incorporate children and youth's (CY) subjective perceptions of places that they perceive as supportive for play and exercise. Internationally, the most promising subjective measure is the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (NEWS-Y) questionnaire. Yet, the NEWS-Y is not available for German-speaking adolescents. In the WALKI-MUC project, a combination of participatory research methods is used to identify CY's perceptions of PA-friendly places in Munich, Germany. Based on the findings, a German version of the NEWS-Y (NEWS-Y-G) for subjective walkability measurement is developed. Methods and design: CY aged six to 17 years from neighbourhoods with different objectively-measured walkability, take part in photovoice, walking interviews and mapping to gather their perceptions of PA-friendly places. The participatory study begins with an introductory workshop and concludes with a follow-up workshop, where characteristics of PA-friendly places are discussed in focus groups. In between these workshops, participants complete a photo mission with a walking interview, allowing for individual significance of PA-related places to be shared in a one-on-one setting with the researcher. The findings are used to adapt and translate the NEWS-Y for the German context. The newly developed NEWS-Y-G is then used to measure the subjective walkability perceived by a representative sample of adolescents in Munich. Discussion: The WALKI-MUC project introduces a participatory methodology for researchers and urban planners to assess subjective walkability with CY. The combination of qualitative and quantitative walkability measurements is described in this study protocol. Findings on PA-friendly places contribute to environmental psychology and the development of the NEWS-Y-G adds a German-language instrument for subjective walkability measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While walkable pedestrian infrastructure is essential for the sustainable growth of cities, the prevailing facilities in emerging countries such as India are not suitable for pedestrians. A user perception-based approach is presented here to identify intervention areas for enhancing the walkability of cities and also to prioritize catchment areas for improvement. The methodology includes seven stages in which perception data collected from the pedestrians are subjected to fuzzy-based Importance Satisfaction Analysis (ISA). The factor structure and management schemes developed using ISA were instrumental in deriving interventions areas. The study was conducted with reference to a road stretch of 5 km in Kollam District, Kerala, which is classified into five catchments. Among the 17 selected attributes, 12 attributes were identified as intervention areas in a single catchment, which shows the alarming situation of pedestrian infrastructure in Indian cities. The sidewalk related deficiencies were identified as common intervention areas across various catchments. Increased vehicular volume on roads, absence of guard rail, and lack of facilities for differently-abled pedestrians were the other common deficiencies. An index is developed for prioritizing pedestrian catchments. This may be useful, especially for countries with financial constraints, to prioritize the catchments based on the need for improvement. Although the findings are city-specific, the approach and experience presented here are useful for enhancing the walkability of pedestrian infrastructure in other cities. • An approach is demonstrated to derive intervention areas for enhancing walkability. • A methodology is proposed to prioritize catchment areas for the improvement of pedestrian infrastructure. • The deficiencies related to sidewalks, lighting facility, and crosswalks are highlighted. • Application of factor structure and management scheme for the prioritization of infrastructure is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine associations of neighborhood greenery, air pollution and walkability with cardiometabolic disease in adults aged ≥45 years in the Frankston–Mornington Peninsula region, Victoria, Australia. Methods: A cross‐sectional, ecological study design was used. We assessed mean annual neighborhood greenery using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; air pollution (fine particulate matter of diameter ≤2.5 μm [PM2.5] and NO2) using land‐use regression models; and walkability using Walk Score (possible values 0–100). Medically diagnosed diabetes (~95% type‐2), heart disease and stroke were self‐reported in the Australian Census (2021). Multivariable regression was used to model associations between environmental exposures and area‐level (neighborhood) cardiometabolic disease prevalence (age group ≥45 years), with socioeconomic status, age and sex as covariates. Air pollution was examined as a mediator of associations between greenery and disease prevalence. Results: Our sample comprised 699 neighborhoods with the following mean (SD) values: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index 0.47 (0.09), PM2.5, 8.5 (0.6) μg/m3 and NO2, 5.2 (1.6) ppb. Disease prevalences were: heart disease, mean 8.9% (4.5%); diabetes, mean 10.3% (4.7%); and stroke, median 1.2% (range 0–10.9%). Greenery was negatively associated with diabetes (β = −5.85, 95% CI −9.53, −2.17) and stroke prevalence (β = −1.26, 95% CI −2.11, −0.42). PM2.5 and NO2 were positively associated with diabetes (β = 1.59, 95% CI 1.00, 2.18; β = 0.42, 95% CI 0.22, 0.62) and stroke prevalence (β = 0.15, 95% CI 0.01, 0.29; β = 0.06, 95% CI 0.01, 0.10). The association between greenery and diabetes was partially mediated by PM2.5 (mediated effect −5.38, 95% CI −7.84, −3.03). Conclusions: Greenery and air pollutants were associated with lower and higher prevalence, respectively, of self‐reported diabetes and, to a lesser extent, stroke. These ecological findings require further exploration with stronger, longitudinal study designs to inform public health policy and directions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 208–214. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking can be an efficient and sustainable mode of transportation for "last mile" connectivity. However, the willingness to walk largely depends on the availability of infrastructure, safety, and comfort. Improving thermal comfort on streets connected to transit stations is crucial for encouraging walking and public transit use. This study assesses seasonal and spatiotemporal variations in pedestrian thermal comfort (PTC) on an N-S-oriented street in Nagpur (India). Thermal walk surveys simultaneously monitored environmental conditions and human thermal perception (thermal sensation vote-TSV). The findings revealed that urban geometry significantly influences PTC and TSV, and the level of influence varied spatiotemporally in both seasons. This study shows the relationship between urban street geometry, microclimate, and PTC, emphasizing the necessity of a multidimensional assessment approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a critical review of the literature investigating the impact suburbanization has had since the mid‐20th century on the downtowns of Canadian mid‐size cities and the strategies deployed to revitalize these districts. It demonstrates that large city downtowns are more likely than their mid‐size city counterparts to enjoy conditions favourable to their success, hence the need to devise revitalization efforts tailored to the reality of mid‐size city downtowns. The article identifies revitalization strategies adopted over the last decades, which mostly failed to reverse the decline affecting these downtowns. It then concentrates on the present, and likely enduring, revitalization model, which emphasizes hospitality, recreation, culture, services, and walkability. The article refines the understanding of the differences between mid‐size and large city downtowns by concentrating on their specific dynamics and explores future revitalization options for mid‐size city downtowns. It discusses the present and likely enduring absence of alternatives to the present revitalization model and highlights its equity downsides as it challenges the downtown low‐income resident living environment. Key messages: There are important differences between large city and mid‐size city downtowns accounting for the need for adapted revitalization strategies.Few mid‐size city downtown revitalization efforts have been successful.There is a consensus, likely to endure, around the presently dominant revitalization model, which comes with downsides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress and other emotions are increasingly used as a lens for evaluating the quality of urban environments. Researchers hope that wearable biosensors may allow for widespread measurement of emotions during everyday activities. There are substantial technical and theoretical challenges to deploying biosensors in field settings and meaningfully interpreting their data. This study evaluates how electrodermal activity (EDA) may be used to understand walkers’ responses to environmental design along real-world streets. Results show that subjects have consistent EDA responses to some environmental variables, but that EDA does not straightforwardly indicate emotional valence–favor or disfavor–potentially limiting its usefulness for planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving people with disabilities' participation in sports and cultural activities benefits their physical and mental health. However, only a few studies have examined the factors that influence participation systematically. Methods: Using the survey data gathered from 4,319 disabled people living in a district in Wuhan, China, this study explored the impacts of sports and cultural activity participation in terms of individual physiological characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and built environmental features. The sports and cultural facility supply and the walkability index of their community environment were calculated to assess built environment features. Binary logistic regression models were also used to investigate the influence of the aforementioned variables. Results: There is a significant positive correlation between sports and cultural activity participation and education (OR = 3.44, p < 0.01), employment status (OR = 2.04, p < 0.01), as well as the number of cultural facilities (OR = 1.33, p < 0.01) in the neighborhood area. No significant association was found between the inclination to participate frequently and individual psychological factors. Conclusion: Regarding people with disabilities' participation in sports and cultural activities, socioeconomic and built environment factors are more influential than individual psychological ones. The findings can give ideas for identifying targeted and comprehensive interventions to promote a healthy lifestyle for people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walkability is generally defined by the extent to which the built environment supports and encourages walking by promoting pedestrian comfort, connectivity and convenience. This paper scrutinizes the steps taken in Johannesburg to develop walkability policies and projects. It draws on empirical evidence from the pedestrian policies (e.g., the Corridors of Freedom) and pedestrian projects (e.g., the Grayston Pedestrian Bridge) recently introduced. Rather than focusing on the merits of walkability or the ease of its application, this paper highlights the misunderstandings of introducing walkability in Johannesburg. The concept is particularly problematic in Johannesburg, where the "unpleasantness of walking" and "walkability-with-people" is insufficiently considered. In a broader sense, this discussion aims to first understand urban planning in an African/Global South city, and then to decolonize transport planning by bringing the experiences in Johannesburg to the forefront. Such a critical reading of the intertwined and overlapping practices of policymaking provides additional insights into the processes of urban planning and transport in Johannesburg and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global trend towards the growth of urban population poses the issue of the public space influence on outdoor practices of different subjects. Urban public space is the carrier of an ever-increasing number and density of users. Walking, both as a form of transportation and as a vector to physical activity and social interactions, emerges as a fundamental category of behaviour. The proposed research develops a theoretical and methodological framework for assessing walkability of the urban space. Building on concepts of capability and affordance, walkability is herein conceptualized in terms of the effect of affordances incorporated into the built environment on individuals' propensity to walk for different purposes. The methodological framework aims to capture the characteristics of walkability across scales as the product of the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of an urban setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of walkability is of great significance to the construction of healthy cities. In this paper, taking 1283 articles of walkability, which were included in Web of Science, as the research object. This paper adopts to analysis the research progress by using the method of scientometrics and knowledge networks analysis. Objectively and systematically analyze the research progress of walkability abroad from the aspects of publication overview, knowledge foundation, research direction and hot spots, etc. It is found that foreign researches on walkability mainly include three core directions: walkability and physical activity, walkability evaluation, walkability and urban design. Among them, walkability and physical activity orientation have been studied from various perspectives, such as various groups, various environmental types, different behavioral patterns and various chronic diseases. With the increasingly prominent urbanization problems and the rapid development of new technologies, multiple data, new methods and interdisciplinary cooperation will actively promote the vigorous development of walking suitability research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the relationships between individual and environmental variables and outdoor walking (OW) in older adults with OW limitations through verifying a conceptual model. Methods: Baseline data from 205 older adults participating in a randomized trial of a park-based OW program were analyzed using structural equation modeling. We evaluated a three latent factor model: OW (accelerometry and self-report); individual factors (balance; leg strength; walking self-confidence, speed and endurance; mental health; education; income; car access); and environmental factors (neighbourhood walkability components). Results: Mean age was 75 years; 73% were women. Individual factors was significantly associated with OW (β = 0.39, p <.01). Environmental factors was not directly associated with OW but was indirectly linked to OW through its significant covariance with the individual factors (β = 0.22, p <.01). The standardized factor loadings from the individual factors on walking self-confidence and walking capacity measures exceeded 0.65. Conclusions: Better walking capacity and more confidence in the ability to walk outdoors are associated with higher OW in older adults. Better neighbourhood walkability is indirectly associated with more OW. The conceptual model demonstrates an individual and environment association; if the capacity of the individual is increased (potentially through walking interventions), they may be able to better navigate environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper confronts the current policy landscape and lived experiences of walking in African cities through the lens of policies, plans, institutional, and residents’ narratives. The paper builds on qualitative evidence drawn from content analysis and semi-structured interviews with local-level stakeholders across policy sectors concerned directly or indirectly with walking and walkability in the city. Perspectives from local government institutions are first reviewed to ascertain considerations for accessibility, safety, and pleasurability dimensions of walking and, second, contrasted with the lived walking experiences of residents of low-income settlements in Accra. Results indicate limited attention to pleasurability dimensions in both policy and municipal plans and significant incongruities with residents’ lived realities of walking. This parallel between the frameworks and plans underpinning the construction of the walking environment and the lived experiences of those affected by such decisions seeks to nuance debates about policy-reality (dis)junctures in African urbanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical mechanics of walks defined on the spatial graphs of the city of Lubbock (10,421 nodes) and the Texas Tech University (TTU) campus pedestrian network (1466 nodes) are used for evaluating structural isolation and the integration of graph nodes, assessing their accessibility and navigability in the graph, and predicting possible graph structural modifications driving the campus evolution. We present the betweenness and closeness maps of the campus, the first passage times to the different campus areas by isotropic and anisotropic random walks, as well as the first passage times under the conditions of traffic noise. We further show the isolation and integration indices of all areas on the campus, as well as their navigability and strive scores, and energy and fugacity scores. The TTU university campus, a large pedestrian zone located close to the historical city center of Lubbock, mediates between the historical city going downhill and its runaway sprawling body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Living in urban environments is associated with several health risks (e.g., noise, and air pollution). However, there are also beneficial aspects such as various opportunities for social activities, which might increase levels of social participation and (physically) active mobility that in turn have positive effects on health and well-being. However, how aspects of the environment, active mobility, and social participation are associated is not well established. This study investigates the moderating effect of low vs. high walkability neighborhoods on the associations between active mobility, and social participation and integrates individuals' subjective perception of the neighborhood environment they are living in. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 219 adults (48% female, mean age = 46 ± 3.8 years) from 12 urban neighborhoods (six low, six high walkability) were analyzed: First, social participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions were compared between people living in a low vs. high walkability neighborhood via t-tests. Second, multigroup path analyses were computed to explore potential differences in the associations between these variables in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods. Results: Social participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions didn't differ in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (p: 0.37 − 0.71). Active mobility and subjective neighborhood perceptions were significantly stronger related to social participation in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (active mobility in low: ß = 0.35, p <.01 vs. high: ß = 0.09, p =.36; subjective neighborhood perceptions in low: ß = 0.27, p <.01 vs. high: ß = 0.15, p =.18). Conclusions: Despite living in neighborhoods with objectively different walkability, participants rated social participation and active mobility equally and perceived their neighborhoods similarly. However, zooming into the interrelations of these variables reveals that social participation of residents from low walkability neighborhoods depends stronger on active mobility and perceiving the environment positively. Positive perceptions of the environment and active mobility might buffer the objectively worse walkability. Future research should focus on underlying mechanisms and determinants of subjective neighborhood perceptions and active mobility, especially in low walkability neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neighborhood walkability—features of the built environment that promote pedestrian activity—has been associated with greater physical activity and lower body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)2) among neighborhood residents. However, much of the literature has been cross-sectional and only a few cohort studies have assessed neighborhood features throughout follow-up. Using data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study (2003–2016) and a neighborhood walkability index (NWI) measured annually during follow-up, we assessed whether the cumulative experience of neighborhood walkability (NWI-years) predicted BMI and waist circumference after approximately 10 years of follow-up, controlling for these anthropometric measures at enrollment. Analyses were adjusted for individual-level sociodemographic covariates and the cumulative experience of neighborhood poverty rate and neighborhood greenspace coverage. Almost a third (29%) of participants changed address at least once during follow-up. The first change of residence, on average, brought the participants to neighborhoods with higher home values and lower NWI scores than their originating neighborhoods. Compared with those having experienced the lowest quartile of cumulative NWI-years, those who experienced the highest quartile had 0.83 lower BMI (95% confidence interval, –1.5, −0.16) and 1.07-cm smaller waist circumference (95% confidence interval, –1.96, –0.19) at follow-up. These analyses provide additional longitudinal evidence that residential neighborhood features that support pedestrian activity are associated with lower adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Neighbourhood factors are associated with cardiovascular health in adults, but these relationships are under‐explored in youth. Objectives: To characterize the associations between neighbourhood factors and child and adolescent health among youth with obesity. Methods: Data were drawn from patient health records at a pediatric weight management clinic (n = 2838) and the Child Opportunity Index (COI). Exposures were area‐level neighbourhood factors (commute duration, walkability, greenspace and industrial pollutants). Outcomes included BMI relative to the 95th percentile (BMIp95) and blood pressure (continuous variables). Longitudinal models examined associations between COI indicators and outcomes. Results: Shorter commute duration (β = −4.31, 95% CI: −5.92, −2.71) and greater walkability (β = −4.40, 95% CI: −5.98, −2.82) were negatively associated with BMIp95. Increased greenspace availability was positively associated with BMIp95 (β = 1.93, 95% CI: 0.19, 3.67). None of the COI indicators were associated with cardiovascular outcomes in the full sample. Analyses stratified by sex and race/ethnicity showed similar patterns for BMIp95. For commute duration, there was a negative association with blood pressure for female, non‐Hispanic White and other race/ethnicity youth. Conclusions: Neighbourhood factors should be considered as contextual factors when treating youth with obesity. Additional research is needed to understand the relationship between neighbourhood factors and cardiovascular outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ostensibly unceasing prioritization of motorized infrastructure, walking has remained a ubiquitous mode of mobility for a large proportion of Nairobi's urban commuters. Planning for motorized mobility has historically been at a higher level of consideration although a much larger percentage of the population travels on foot. The conspicuous pedestrian has been and continues to be masked under the spotlight of the motor vehicle with a discernible outcome of spatial injustices. Using secondary data, historical literature and expert interviews, this paper examines how walking as a mode of mobility has developed over time and the challenges experienced by pedestrians in Nairobi. Linking to the notion of justice, the paper attempts to assess the association between walking and spatial justice using three dimensions—spatial, modal and individual dimensions—that are used as a framework to assess how injustices unfold and are experienced by Nairobi's pedestrians. The historical path dependency that has restricted and attempted to replace walkability by prioritizing motor vehicle use as well as the technical engineering design that lacks integration of social aspects of mobility has presented challenges in provision of safe non-motorized infrastructure in the contemporary urban travel in Nairobi, enduringly dismissing walking as a valid mode of mobility. Advancing spatial justice in Nairobi's urban mobility will require more than a technical process of extending the side of the road by a metre or two but rather deliberate effort in understanding the pedestrians' mobility needs that can best be understood by attuning to the everyday realities of travelling on foot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an increasingly competitive global market for human and financial capital, cities have embraced a variety of strategies to lure investment and incubate lucrative businesses and industries in situ. Among other strategies, it has been suggested that local governments can both attract and catalyze the rise of knowledge-intensive businesses and innovative startups by cultivating dense, walkable, and transit-accessible urban environments where knowledge spillovers might be more likely and creative and knowledge workers can access an abundance of consumption amenities. This intensive case study of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area explores the potential spatial associations between attributes of urban form and innovation productivity as assessed using small business innovation awards. In addition to largely corroborating previous findings indicating a strong positive spatial correlation between small and midsized firm innovation and neighborhood walkability and transit quality, the results suggest the importance of other key supportive amenities including small business incubators or accelerators and local research universities, and highlight socioeconomic and demographic disparities between innovation hot spots and cold spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian-oriented urban strategies such as the Paris 15-minute City are needed to respond to the global boiling. Quantitative evaluation of pedestrian-oriented urban objectives is important for various cities, and in this paper, a walkability evaluation system for the advanced model is developed considering the characteristics of a large city. The system calculates the walkability of Seoul. The evaluation system uses the Betweenness index as a weight in the urban network analysis. Considering stations with a high betweenness in urban traffic is essential for evaluating a pedestrian-oriented metropolis. Our findings in this study are that the UNA index in WES is critical for transit-oriented, walkable cities. The large city needs to find the location for mobility hubs or stations to observe the last mile. Installing a mobility hub or station at a high-value location in the city center is functionally important. In a pedestrian-oriented city, citizens can walk and bike the last mile in a busy city center. Walkable cities can encourage active transport and ultimately create more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation systems. This study offers valuable insights into pedestrian infrastructure, urban systems, and policies that promote green transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated the association of neighborhood walkability with accelerometer‐measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) and examined whether objective and subjective measures of walkability resulted in similar findings. Methods: PA and SB from the first 7689 Maastricht Study participants ages 40–75 from 2010 to 2017 were measured using accelerometers for 7 days. Mean daily step count, light‐intensity PA, moderate‐ to vigorous‐ intensity PA (MVPA), and SB were calculated. Objective walkability was measured by the 7‐component Dutch Walkability Index within 500 m Euclidean buffers around residential addresses of participants. Subjective walkability was obtained from the Abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. Linear regression models analyzed the associations of walkability with PA and SB, controlling for potential confounders. Results: Objective walkability was negatively associated with light intensity PA in the most walkable quartile (b = −14.58, 95% CI = −20.94, −8.23). Compared to participants living in the least walkable neighborhoods, those in the most walkable quartile had statistically significantly higher SB levels (b = 11.64, 95% CI = 4.95, 18.32). For subjective walkability, mean daily step count was significantly higher in the most walkable quartile (b = 509.60, 95% CI = 243.38, 775.81). Higher subjective walkability was positively associated with MVPA (b = 4.40, 95% CI = 2.56, 6.23). Conclusion: Living in a neighborhood with higher objective walkability was associated with lower levels of PA and higher SB levels while higher subjective walkability was associated with higher levels of PA. These results show discordant findings and thus, the effect of walkability on participant PA and SB within our sample is to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise in "urban diseases" like population density, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution has renewed attention to urban livability. Walkability, a critical measure of pedestrian friendliness, has gained prominence in urban and transportation planning. This research delves into a comprehensive analysis of walking accessibility, examining both subjective and objective aspects. This study aims to identify the influencing factors and explore the underlying mechanisms driving walkability within a specific area. Through a questionnaire survey, residents' subjective perceptions were gathered concerning various factors such as traffic operations, walking facilities, and the living environment. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the collected data, revealing that travel experience significantly impacts perceived accessibility, followed by facility condition, traffic condition, and safety perception. In the objective analysis, various types of POI data served as explanatory variables, dividing the study area into grids using ArcGIS, with the Walk Score® as the dependent variable. Comparisons of OLS, GWR and MGWR demonstrated that MGWR yielded the most accurate fitting results. Mixed land use, shopping, hotels, residential, government, financial, and medical public services exhibited positive correlations with local walkability, while corporate enterprises and street greening showed negative correlations. These findings were attributed to the level of development, regional functions, population distribution, and supporting facility deployment, collectively influencing the walking accessibility of the area. In conclusion, this research presents crucial insights into enhancing walkability, with implications for urban planning and management, thereby enriching residents' walking travel experience and promoting sustainable transportation practices. Finally, the limitations of the thesis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's preferences regarding their neighborhood environment can vary depending on their socioeconomic status and the cities where they live. This study aims to discern the relationship between neighborhood environment factors and single-family detached house sales by sale price and by central and noncentral cities. We analyzed sale prices in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area from 2015 to 2020. The neighborhood environment was assessed using flood/sediment risk and neighborhood walkability measured by net residential density, intersection density, and facility density (walking opportunity). Flood and sediment risk is a major concern that restricts the available land and is included as a negative aspect of the neighborhood environment, taking the topographic features into consideration. A comparison of the results showed that the preference for neighborhood walkability varies by socioeconomic status as well as by target cities. For most facility types, the number of walking opportunities within walking distance from houses was found to be positively related to the sale price of single-family detached houses in all quantiles. The relationship of house price with population and intersection density was found to vary depending on the price level, with a negative relationship with the sale price of relatively more expensive houses being exhibited. People who considered buying houses with relatively higher sale prices were found to devalue houses located in flood/sediment-hazardous areas more. However, it was also found that the negative relationship was slightly mitigated in the highest quantile of sale prices for houses in areas with a moderate flood risk (maximum flooding depth: 3–5 m). Plains near rivers with amenities offer high walkability but pose a flood risk, resulting in a trade-off between flood risk and neighborhood walkability. The findings suggest the use of indices representing diverse preferences in accordance with the target socioeconomic status when policymakers assess the neighborhood environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rural residents generally lack adequate physical activity to benefit health and reduce disparities in chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. The Socioecological Model describes physical activity as involving a dynamic and reciprocal interaction between individual, social, and community factors. Community group-based walking programs and civic engagement interventions aimed at enhancing physical activity have been successful in rural communities but have not targeted all three socioecological levels. Public libraries can act as innovative public health partners in rural communities. However, challenges remain because rural libraries often lack the capacity to implement evidence-based health promotion programming. The goals of this study are (1) build the capacity for rural libraries to implement evidence-based health promotion programs, (2) compare changes in physical activity between a group-based walking program and a combined group-based walking and civic engagement program with rural residents, and (3) conduct an implementation evaluation. Methods: We will conduct a comparative effectiveness study of a group-based walking (standard approach) versus a group-based walking plus civic engagement program (combined approach) aimed at enhancing walkability to increase physical activity among rural adults. Key mediators between the program effects and change in outcomes will also be identified. Finally, we will evaluate program implementation, conduct a cost effectiveness evaluation, and use a positive deviance analysis to understand experiences of high and low changers on key outcomes. Twenty towns will be matched and randomized to one of the two conditions and our aim is to enroll a total of 350–400 rural residents (15–20 per town). Study outcomes will be assessed at baseline, and 6, 12, and 24 months. Discussion: This study will build the capacity of rural libraries to implement evidence-based walking programs as well as other health promotion programs in their communities. The study results will answer questions regarding the relative effectiveness and cost effectiveness of two multilevel physical activity interventions targeting rural communities. We will learn what works and how these multilevel interventions can be implemented in rural populations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05677906. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking engenders many descriptive, normative, and speculative debates. This article reviews work done in the interventionist realms of landscape planning, urban design, and public policy, where attention is increasingly being paid to walking (as a matter of fact) and its often-prescriptive corollary of 'walkability' (as a matter of concern). What patterns of critical engagement are seen in work on how, why, and where people walk? I explore how (a) the so-called compact city is seen as the only context where walking and other 'soft' modes of everyday mobility meaningfully occurs, and (b) scholarly debates on self-propelled movement seem to focus too narrowly on necessary or utilitarian activity. Recreational mobilities at various temporal and spatial scales thus tend to be overlooked or ignored altogether. Drawing on the interdisciplinary explorations presented in this special issue of Mobilities, a provisional agenda for research and practice is presented. Suggestions are made as to how one might approach the dense, compact city (as phenomenon and as normative impulse in spatial planning) in new ways by foregrounding walking as a widespread example of 'discretionary' mobility, i.e., as optional movement in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention should be devoted to the accessibility of campus facilities to older adults and as a means to increase age-diversity. In this paper, we sought to uncover older adults' perceptions of campus accessibility via an online survey. Participants were recruited through local newsletters, and word of mouth, and included 81 community members (M Age = 71.58 years; 79% female; 89% White). Descriptive analyses were conducted for closed-ended responses and a constant comparative method was used to code open-ended responses. Based on the closed-ended responses, participants felt that the campus was somewhat accessible, moderately easy to walk around, and felt somewhat welcome on campus. The following general themes emerged in the open-ended responses: 1) inaccessibility on campus was related to parking and topography constraints (e.g., due to stairs, distance, hills); 2) accessibility on campus was due to sidewalks and access to transportation; 3) feeling welcome on campus was related to people being helpful, and 4) not feeling welcome was related to not 'being in the know' and not feeling like they belonged. These findings have implications for campus initiatives that aim to attract older adults, especially for campuses that have topography constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the role of neighborhood walkability and crime on weight loss, we examined data from older adults residing in Chicago who participated in a randomized controlled trial lifestyle intervention. Controlling for individual demographic characteristics and the intervention assignment, the neighborhood homicide rate was significantly associated with weight change. Participants who resided in neighborhoods above the 50th percentile of homicide rate actually gained weight between pre- and post-intervention. On the other hand, there was no significant relationship between the level of walkability and weight loss. Our findings suggest that the social environment related to neighborhood crime may play a more important role in weight loss than the built environment, such as walkability. Urban characteristics related to walkability, such as sidewalks, may increase physical activity, however, interventions aiming to increase physical activity to promote weight loss will benefit by addressing the neighborhood social environment that determines how people navigate space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recreation in forests is important for residents of cities, including Zhytomyr. The forests of the city's green zone require a comprehensive assessment to regulate the recreational use of state and municipal forests. In order to analyse the recreational indicators of the forests of the green zone of Zhytomyr, a comparative analysis of forest management data of landscape mensuration was carried out and compared with the results of our own field research. To analyse the recreational indicators, the forest management database, materials of previous field studies, as well as electronic mapping materials and a geographic information system were used. According to the forest management data, the spatial structure of the forest park area is far from optimal due to the small share of open and semi-open landscape types. The existing functional zoning in most areas does not correspond to the actual recreational use of the territory. There are areas with intensive visits that are not classified as forest parks and do not have landscape mensuration data, although they have a high level of improvement. In terms of walkability, sustainability, aesthetic and integrated assessment, the forest park areas demonstrate mostly mediocre results. The recreational digression of the vast majority of sites is insignificant. Some plots have the necessary indicators for a high additional assessment. The results of the field surveys confirmed the unreliability of some recreational indicators determined by forest management. The largest discrepancy was noted in the determination of walkability, additional and recreational values, which are significantly landunderestimated. In the most visited areas, the actual indicators of recreational digression and aesthetic assessment are lower than those in the forest management materials. Refinement of the data on recreational characteristics of the forest park zone areas allows updating the information on landscape mensuration and developing a comprehensive functional zoning of the territory of suburban forests in Zhytomyr. The results of the study will help state and municipal forestry enterprises to optimize the recreational exploitation of forests within the green zone of the city, rationalize the use of natural resources for recreational purposes, while ensuring environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian-oriented urban strategies such as the Paris 15-minute City are needed to respond to the global boiling. Quantitative evaluation of pedestrian-oriented urban objectives is important for various cities, and in this paper, a walkability evaluation system for the advanced model is developed considering the characteristics of a large city. The system calculates the walkability of Seoul. The evaluation system uses the Betweenness index as a weight in the urban network analysis. Considering stations with a high betweenness in urban traffic is essential for evaluating a pedestrian-oriented metropolis. Our findings in this study are that the UNA index in WES is critical for transit-oriented, walkable cities. The large city needs to find the location for mobility hubs or stations to observe the last mile. Installing a mobility hub or station at a high-value location in the city center is functionally important. In a pedestrian-oriented city, citizens can walk and bike the last mile in a busy city center. Walkable cities can encourage active transport and ultimately create more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation systems. This study offers valuable insights into pedestrian infrastructure, urban systems, and policies that promote green transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most neighborhood food and activity related environment research in children has been cross-sectional. A better understanding of prospective associations between these neighborhood environment factors and children's weight status can provide stronger evidence for informing interventions and policy. This study examined associations of baseline and changes in neighborhood healthy food access and walkability with changes in children's weight status over 5 years. Methods: Height, weight, and home address were obtained for 4,493 children (> 75% were Black or Latinx) from primary care visits within a large pediatric health system. Eligible participants were those who had measures collected during two time periods (2012–2014 [Time 1] and 2017–2019 [Time 2]). Data were integrated with census tract-level healthy food access and walkability data. Children who moved residences between the time periods were considered 'movers' (N = 1052; 23.4%). Mixed-effects models, accounting for nesting of children within census tracts, were conducted to model associations of baseline and changes in the neighborhood environment variables with Time 2 weight status (BMIz and overweight or obese vs. healthy weight). Models adjusted for weight status and child and neighborhood sociodemographics at baseline. Results: Children living in a neighborhood with [ample] healthy food access at Time 1 had a lower BMIz at Time 2, regardless of mover status. A decrease in healthy food access was not significantly associated with children's weight status at Time 2. Baseline walkability and improvements in walkability were associated with a lower BMIz at Time 2, regardless of mover status. Conclusions: Findings provide evidence that residing in a neighborhood with healthy food access and walkability may support a healthy weight trajectory in children. Findings on changes in the neighborhood environment suggested that improved walkability in the neighborhood may support children's healthy weight. The greater and more consistent findings among movers may be due to movers experiencing greater changes in neighborhood features than the changes that typically occur within a neighborhood over a short period of time. Future research is needed to investigate more robust environmental changes to neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]