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

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Science

Background:

• The influence of the built environment on physical activity, specifically walking, in rural U.S. settings is under-researched.
• Utilitarian walking (e.g., to retail or work) is a key component of physical activity in daily life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-reported and measured built environment correlates of utilitarian walking among adults in small rural towns.
• To understand how features of the built environment in rural areas relate to walking behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Data collected from 2,152 adults across 9 small towns in three U.S. regions via telephone surveys and geographic data in 2011-12.
• Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between built environment variables and utilitarian walking frequency (any vs. none; high vs. low).

Main Results:

• Walking levels in these rural towns were lower compared to larger metropolitan areas.
• Significant correlates of higher utilitarian walking included the presence of crosswalks, pedestrian signals, and nearby recreational areas.
• Objectively measured manufacturing land use was also positively associated with utilitarian walking.

Conclusions:

• Built environment factors known to influence walking in urban and suburban areas are also relevant in small rural towns.
• Manufacturing land use emerged as a significant factor associated with utilitarian walking in rural settings.
• Targeted modifications to the built environment in small towns hold potential for increasing physical activity in a substantial population segment.