In healthy individuals, breathing manoeuvres lead to changes in myocardial oxygenation, which appear to be mediated by CO₂. These changes can be monitored in vivo by oxygenation-sensitive CMR and thus, may have value as a diagnostic tool.

Introduction Despite the accumulating Canadian evidence regarding the relations between urban form and health behaviours, less is known about the associations between urban form and health conditions. Our study aim was to undertake a scoping review to synthesize evidence from quantitative studies that have investigated the relationship between built environment and chronic health conditions, self-reported health and qual¬ity of life, and injuries in the Canadian adult population. Methods From January to March 2017, we searched 13 databases to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies from all years that estimated associations between the objectively-measured built environment and health conditions in Canadian adults. Studies under¬taken within urban settings only were included. Relevant studies were catalogued and synthesized in relation to their reported study and sample design, and health outcome and built environment features. Results Fifty-five articles met the inclusion criteria, 52 of which were published after 2008. Most single province studies were undertaken in Ontario (n = 22), Quebec (n = 12), and Alberta (n = 7). Associations between the built environment features and 11 broad health outcomes emerged from the review, including injury (n = 19), weight status (n = 19), cardiovascular disease (n = 5), depression/anxiety (n = 5), diabetes (n = 5), mortality (n = 4), self-rated health (n = 2), chronic conditions (n = 2), metabolic condi¬tions (n = 2), quality of life (n = 1), and cancer (n = 1). Consistent evidence for asso¬ciations between aggregate built environment indicators (e.g., walkability) and diabetes and weight and between connectivity and route features (e.g., transportation route, trails, pathways, sidewalks, street pattern, intersections, route characteristics) and injury were found. Evidence for greenspace, parks and recreation features impacting multiple health outcomes was also found. Conclusion Within the Canadian context, the built environment is associated with a range of chronic health conditions and injury in adults, but the evidence to date has limi¬tations. More research on the built environment and health incorporating rigorous study designs are needed to provide stronger causal evidence to inform policy and practice.

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Sleep duration is a risk factor for poor health and all-cause mortality. Evidence suggests that neighbourhood characteristics such as built environment and socioeconomic status (SES) may affect sleep duration in adults. This study examined the relationship between neighbourhood built environment (i.e., measured via the street pattern) and SES with sleep duration in adults (n = 797) from 12 neighbourhoods in Calgary (Canada). Covariate adjusted linear and multinomial logistic regression models estimated the associations between street pattern (grid, warped-grid, curvilinear), SES and sleep duration. We also tested if the interaction between street pattern and SES was associated with sleep duration. Although neighbourhood street pattern and neighbourhood SES were not independently associated with sleep, the interaction between street pattern and neighbourhood SES, was associated with mean sleep duration. Individuals living in curvilinear low SES neighbourhoods had the shortest sleep duration (6.93 h per day; 95% CI 6.68, 7.18), while those living in curvilinear high SES neighbourhoods slept the longest (7.43 h per day; 95% CI 7.29, 7.57). Neighbourhood street pattern and SES, as well as their interaction, were not associated with the odds of sleeping shorter or longer than 7 to 8 h per day. Our findings suggest that the combined effect of the neighbourhood built environment and SES is potentially important for influencing sleep duration. More research is needed to understand the complex interrelationships between the built environment, SES, and sleep.