Development of an objectively measured walkability index for the Netherlands

Abstract

Background Walkability indices have been developed and linked to behavioural and health outcomes elsewhere in the world, but not comprehensively for Europe. We aimed to 1) develop a theory-based and evidence-informed Dutch walkability index, 2) examine its cross-sectional associations with total and purpose-specific walking behaviours of adults across socioeconomic (SES) and urbanisation strata, 3) explore which walkability components drive these associations. Methods Components of the index included: population density, retail and service density, land use mix, street connectivity, green space, sidewalk density and public transport density. Each of the seven components was calculated for three Euclidean buffers: 150 m, 500 m and 1000 m around every 6-digit postal code location and for every administrative neighbourhood in GIS. Componential z-scores were averaged, and final indices normalized between 0 and 100. Data on self-reported demographic characteristics and walking behaviours of 16,055 adult respondents (aged 18–65) were extracted from the Dutch National Travel Survey 2017. Using Tobit regression modelling adjusted for individual- and household-level confounders, we assessed the associations between walkability and minutes walking in total, for non-discretionary and discretionary purposes. By assessing the attenuation in associations between partial indices and walking outcomes, we identified which of the seven components drive these associations. We also tested for effect modification by urbanization degree, SES, age and sex. Results In fully adjusted models, a 10% increase in walkability was associated with a maximum increase of 8.5 min of total walking per day (95%CI: 7.1–9.9). This association was consistent across buffer sizes and purposes of walking. Public transport density was driving the index’s association with walking outcomes. Stratified results showed that associations with minutes of non-discretionary walking were stronger in rural compared to very urban areas, in neighbourhoods with low SES compared to high SES, and in middle-aged (36–49 years) compared to young (18–35 years old) and older adults (50–65 years old). Conclusions The walkability index was cross-sectionally associated with Dutch adult’s walking behaviours, indicating its validity for further use in research.

Development of a neighborhood obesogenic built environment characteristics index for the Netherlands

“…Beyond walkability, these novel constructs might play an important yet understudied role in the study of obesogenicity of the environment. For example, whereas walkability highlights the attractiveness of urban areas for walking [ 14 ], the OBCT index integrates the food environment in the same areas and therefore provides a more balanced picture of the built environment. In terms of components, we composed a measure for the food environment that encompassed both healthy and unhealthy outlets that are frequently visited.…”

“…A notable example of an aggregated measure is walkability, a composite measure of how conducive neighborhoods are to walking, which typically combines land‐use mix, population density, street connectivity, and green space. Despite inherent heterogeneity in study designs, higher neighborhood walkability has been associated with more walking [ 14 ] and lower obesity in both adults and children [ 11 , 15 ]. Even so, more extensive integration of environmental components is desirable to better capture the complex variety of exposures.…”

Een groene tuin, een gezonde tuin? : Onderzoek naar het belang van privégroen bij huis voor de gezondheid van burgers

“…Voor de score binnen 250 m was er in mindere mate sprake van positieve verbanden. Lam et al (2022) vonden in een dwarsdoorsnedeonderzoek een verband tussen deze walkability-index en de hoeveelheid wandeltijd, d.w.z. de tijd dat iemand wandelde of zich te voet verplaatste.…”

Transport accessibility assessment of rural tourism facilities

“…In the study of the following authors: Lam T.M., Wang Z., Vaartjes I., Beulens J.W.J., Lakerveld J. attention is paid to the development of an objectively measurable index of pedestrian accessibility [1]. The components of the index include parameters such as population density, retail and service density, land use patterns, street connectivity, green spaces, pavement density, and public transport availability.…”