eprintid: 1505643 rev_number: 36 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/01/50/56/43 datestamp: 2016-07-24 17:25:32 lastmod: 2022-01-03 23:56:27 status_changed: 2017-03-03 15:18:57 type: proceedings_section metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Stockton, JC creators_name: Duke-Williams, O creators_name: Stamatakis, E creators_name: Brunner, EJ creators_name: Mindell, JS creators_name: Shelton, NJ title: A novel walkability index for London predicts walking time in adults ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: D12 divisions: G19 divisions: B03 divisions: C01 divisions: F15 abstract: Objective: To develop a novel walkability index for London and test it through measurement of associations between neighbourhood walkability and walking among adults using data from the Whitehall II Study. Background: Physical activity is essential for health; walking is the easiest way to incorporate it into everyday life. Many studies have reported positive associations between neighbourhood walkability and walking but the majority have focused on cities in North America and Australasia. Urban form with respect to street connectivity, residential density and land use mix – common components of walkability indices – is likely to differ in European cities. Methods: A walkability index for the 633 spatially contiguous census area statistics wards of London was constructed, comprising three core dimensions associated with walking behaviours: residential dwelling density, street connectivity and land use mix. Walkability was expressed as quartile scores, with wards scoring 1 being in the bottom 25% in terms of walkability, and those scoring 4 in the top 25%. A neighbourhood walkability score was assigned to each London-dwelling Whitehall II Study participant (2003-04, N=3020, mean +/-SD age=61.0y +/-6.0) as the walkability score of the ward in which their residential postcode fell. Associations between neighbourhood walkability and weekly walking time were measured using multiple logistic regression. Results: After adjustment for individual level factors and area deprivation, people in the most walkable neighbourhoods were significantly more likely to spend ≥6hr/wk (Odds Ratio 1.4; 95%Confidence Interval 1.1-1.9), than those in the least walkable. Conclusions: The walkability index constructed can predict walking time in adults: living in a more walkable neighbourhood is associated with longer weekly walking time. The index may help urban planners identify and design neighbourhoods in London with characteristics that are potentially more supportive of walking and, thereby, promote public health. date: 2016 publisher: Universities' Transport Study Group official_url: http://www.utsg.net/web/index.php?page=2016---bristol oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1106815 lyricists_name: Brunner, Eric lyricists_name: Duke-Williams, Oliver lyricists_name: Mindell, Jennifer lyricists_name: Shelton, Nicola lyricists_name: Stockton, Jemima lyricists_id: EJBRU90 lyricists_id: ODUKE12 lyricists_id: JMIND63 lyricists_id: NJSHE30 lyricists_id: JSTOC27 full_text_status: public series: Universities' Transport Study Group: Annual Conference Proceedings volume: 48 place_of_pub: Bristol, UK event_title: Universities' Transport Study Group: 48th Annual Conference Proceedings, 2016 event_location: Bristol, UK event_dates: 06 January 2016 - 08 January 2016 institution: Universities' Transport Study Group 48th Annual Conference Proceedings, 2016 book_title: Proceedings of the Universities' Transport Study Group: 48th Annual Conference citation: Stockton, JC; Duke-Williams, O; Stamatakis, E; Brunner, EJ; Mindell, JS; Shelton, NJ; (2016) A novel walkability index for London predicts walking time in adults. In: Proceedings of the Universities' Transport Study Group: 48th Annual Conference. Universities' Transport Study Group: Bristol, UK. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1505643/1/Brunner_UTSG_paper_522_JS.pdf