W alkability-the extent to which an area is supportive of walking-is a concept that emerged from the transportation literature and has been widely adopted in health research examining the impact of the built environment on physical activity and health outcomes. 1 Factors that make neighbourhoods more walkable include pedestrian amenities such as sidewalks, crosswalks, curb cuts and traffic lights; street connectivity; mixed-land use; and the presence of a variety of destinations within walking distance, features typically found in urban more than suburban neighbourhoods. 2-4 From a public health perspective, creating more walkable neighbourhoods might be expected to lead to a healthier environment by encouraging reduced car usage and therefore lower car emissions and air pollution, and also by increasing opportunities for active transportation (physically active modes of transportation, such as walking, biking, rollerblading, skateboarding), which could increase overall levels of physical activity and decrease obesity. 5-7 Although a significant amount of research has shown that adults living in urban neighbourhoods walk more and have a lower bodymass index (BMI) than their suburban counterparts, other studies have found that this association is not consistent in all urban neighbourhoods or with all demographic groups. 4,8,9 Very little research has examined the impact of neighbourhood design on activity levels in children and youth, and the few studies that have looked specifically at youth activity have also produced mixed findings. 10-13 A study of Belgian adolescents found that they were more likely to walk and bike in less walkable neighbourhoods than more walkable neighbourhoods. 14 Other studies have found that while boys are more active in neighbourhoods that are close to commercial areas and have connected streets, girls are more active in neighbourhoods with unconnected, curvilinear, low-traffic streets. 15,16 No consistent association has been established between children's BMI and neighbourhood design, but some research suggests that certain neighbourhood characteristics may be influential. For example, neighbourhood safety and access to parks, playgrounds, recreation centres and sidewalks were significantly associated with lower BMI in girls aged 10-11 years in a US study based on a survey conducted by the National Centre for Health Statistics. 17 Higher rates of overweight and obesity were found in both boys and girls

Knowledge translation, Participatory action research, Action researcher,

Community action, Implementation and planning,

The quality of life research program was envisioned as an undertaking to achieve deep and balanced (quantitative and qualitative) understanding of the community and to use this knowledge to guide change to improve quality of life for all in Saskatoon. To accomplish this, the program set its sights on undertaking participatory action research, soliciting meaningful and frequent input from the community at large not only on research questions and methods but also on the implication of results, and disseminating knowledge widely. The program was intended to be longterm and longitudinal (repeated cohorts) to allow ongoing evaluation and monitoring of community outcomes, and continued guidance for ways of improving quality of life.

No abstract