This paper provides empirical evidence that helps to answer several key questions relating to the extent of urban sprawl in Europe. Building on the monocentric city model, this study uses existing data sources to derive a set of panel data for 282 European cities at three time points (1990, 2000 and 2006). Two indices of urban sprawl are calculated that, respectively, reflect changes in artificial area and the levels of urban fragmentation for each city. These are supplemented by a set of data on various economic and geographical variables that might explain the variation of the two indices. Using a Hausman-Taylor estimator and random regressors to control for the possible correlation between explanatory variables and unobservable city-level effects, we find that the fundamental conclusions of the standard monocentric model are valid in the European context for both indices. Although the variables generated by the monocentric model explain a large part of the variation of artificial area, their explanatory power for modelling the fragmentation index is relatively low.

BackgroundThe use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to objectively measure ‘obesogenic’ food environment (foodscape) exposure has become common-place. This increase in usage has coincided with the development of a methodologically heterogeneous evidence-base, with subsequent perceived difficulties for inter-study comparability. However, when used together in previous work, different types of food environment metric have often demonstrated some degree of covariance. Differences and similarities between density and proximity metrics, and within methodologically different conceptions of density and proximity metrics need to be better understood.MethodsFrequently used measures of food access were calculated for North East England, UK. Using food outlet data from local councils, densities of food outlets per 1000 population and per km2 were calculated for small administrative areas. Densities (counts) were also calculated based on population-weighted centroids of administrative areas buffered at 400/800/1000m street network and Euclidean distances. Proximity (street network and Euclidean distances) from these centroids to the nearest food outlet were also calculated. Metrics were compared using Spearman’s rank correlations.ResultsMeasures of foodscape density and proximity were highly correlated. Densities per km2 and per 1000 population were highly correlated (rs = 0.831). Euclidean and street network based measures of proximity (rs = 0.865) and density (rs = 0.667-0.764, depending on neighbourhood size) were also highly correlated. Density metrics based on administrative areas and buffered centroids of administrative areas were less strongly correlated (rs = 0.299-0.658).ConclusionsDensity and proximity metrics were largely comparable, with some exceptions. Whilst results suggested a substantial degree of comparability across existing studies, future comparability could be ensured by moving towards a more standardised set of environmental metrics, where appropriate, lessening the potential pitfalls of methodological variation between studies. The researchers’ role in creating their own obesogenic ‘reality’ should be better understood and acknowledged.

A prospective study of the families of young severely disabled children applying to a non-governmental organization for financial support examined the respective contributions of a child's intrinsic impairment and the family's environment to their participation. The study population comprised the families of 600 children of median age 2 years 8 months (range 1y-12y 1mo), of whom 46% had autistic or severe behaviour difficulties, 12% other learning disabilities, 6.8% cerebral palsy, and 10% non-neurological causes of severe disability. Intrinsic impairment was measured with the Health Utilities Index (HUI); environmental factors using a novel instrument, the European Child Environment Questionnaire (ECEQ); and participation of child and family using the Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire. Principal components analysis was used to examine interrelationships. A five-component model explains 50% of the variance in the ECEQ. The first component, ECEQ1, reflects the support a family receives from professional services and family. HUI and ECEQ1 were independently associated with participation (p<0.0001) with comparable effect sizes. We conclude that the participation of young severely disabled children is affected to similar extents by intrinsic impairment and environmental factors such as services, support, and attitudes.Extremes of the medical and social models of disability exaggerate respectively the contributions of intrinsic impairment and environment to the disadvantage experienced by disabled people.* The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) 2 achieves a qualitative synthesis of these models. Participation is defined as involvement of the person in life situations, and replaces the concept of 'handicap'. Participation is recognized to be determined by both intrinsic impairment and environmental or contextual factors. The latter include not just attributes of the physical environment, but also societal values as reflected both at the macro level of public legislation and policy, and the micro level of the attitudes as experienced of friends, family, and public.There is a need to explore this model quantitatively. What are the relative importance of intrinsic impairment (the target of medical interventions) and contextual factors (the target of political, social, and educational interventions) in determining participation? The ICF model predicts that individuals with similar levels of intrinsic impairment will achieve differing levels of participation in different settings but does not as such predict the magnitude or importance of these effects. In a population-based study of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in the northeast of England, Hammal et al. confirmed that participation was determined in part by the family's district of residence, 3 although the factors making a particular district more or less facilitatory were not identified. The present study extends this approach to a national cohort of children with a wide variety of severe impairments. In contrast to the study ...

This study assesses the effect of light rail transit system (LRT) on residential property values in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where traffic congestion has been a major issue since the mid 1990s. A relatively new technique namely Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) is employed to estimate the increased value of land in the form of residential property values as a result of improved accessibility owing to the construction of the LRT systems. Using the Kelana Jaya LRT Line, located in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a case study, this paper reveals that the improvement of accessibility to employment and other amenities provided by the LRT system added premiums on residential property values but with spatial variation over geographical area indicates that the existence of the LRT systems may have a positive effect on residential property values in some areas but negative in others. The use of the GWR in this study is identified as a better approach to investigate the effect of the LRT system on residential property values since it has the capability to produce meaningful results by revealing spatially varying relationship.

ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between proximity to specific sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities for adolescents in Germany.MethodsA sample of 1,768 adolescents aged 11–17 years old and living in 161 German communities was examined. Distances to the nearest sports facilities were calculated as an indicator of proximity to sports facilities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Participation in specific leisure-time sports activities in sports clubs was assessed using a self-report questionnaire and individual-level socio-demographic variables were derived from a parent questionnaire. Community-level socio-demographics as covariates were selected from the INKAR database, in particular from indicators and maps on land development. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between proximity to the nearest sports facilities and participation in the corresponding sports activities.ResultsThe logisitic regression analyses showed that girls residing longer distances from the nearest gym were less likely to engage in indoor sports activities; a significant interaction between distances to gyms and level of urbanization was identified. Decomposition of the interaction term showed that for adolescent girls living in rural areas participation in indoor sports activities was positively associated with gym proximity. Proximity to tennis courts and indoor pools was not associated with participation in tennis or water sports, respectively.ConclusionsImproved proximity to gyms is likely to be more important for female adolescents living in rural areas.