Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project

Mireia Gascon; Thomas Götschi; Audrey de Nazelle; Esther Gracia; Albert Ambròs; Sandra Márquez; Oriol Marquet; Ione Avila-Palencia; Christian Brand; Francesco Iacorossi; Elisabeth Raser; Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen; Evi Dons; Michelle Laeremans; Sonja Kahlmeier; Julian Sánchez; Regine Gerike; Esther Anaya-Boig; Luc Int Panis; Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

doi:10.1289/EHP4603

Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project

Mireia Gascon, Thomas Götschi, Audrey de Nazelle, Esther Gracia, Albert Ambròs, Sandra Márquez, Oriol Marquet, Ione Avila-Palencia, Christian Brand, Francesco Iacorossi, Elisabeth Raser, Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen, Evi Dons, Michelle Laeremans, Sonja Kahlmeier, Julian Sánchez, Regine Gerike, Esther Anaya-Boig, Luc Int Panis, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although walking for travel can help in reaching the daily recommended levels of physical activity, we know relatively little about the correlates of walking for travel in the European context.

OBJECTIVE: Within the framework of the European Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA) project, we aimed to explore the correlates of walking for travel in European cities.

METHODS: The same protocol was applied in seven European cities. Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected information on total minutes of walking per week, individual characteristics, mobility behavior, and attitude (N=7,875). Characteristics of the built environment (the home and the work/study addresses) were determined with geographic information system (GIS)-based techniques. We conducted negative binomial regression analyses, including city as a random effect. Factor and principal component analyses were also conducted to define profiles of the different variables of interest.

RESULTS: Living in high-density residential areas with richness of facilities and density of public transport stations was associated with increased walking for travel, whereas the same characteristics at the work/study area were less strongly associated with the outcome when the residential and work/study environments were entered in the model jointly. A walk-friendly social environment was associated with walking for travel. All three factors describing different opinions about walking (ranging from good to bad) were associated with increased minutes of walking per week, although the importance given to certain criteria to choose a mode of transport provided different results according to the criteria.

DISCUSSION: The present study supports findings from previous research regarding the role of the built environment in the promotion of walking for travel and provides new findings to help in achieving sustainable, healthy, livable, and walkable cities.

Original language	English
Article number	097003
Number of pages	13
Journal	Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume	127
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4603
Publication status	Published - 18 Sept 2019
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Cities
Environment Design
Europe
Exercise
Geographic Information Systems
Humans
Pedestrians/statistics & numerical data
Socioeconomic Factors
Travel
Walking

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1289/EHP4603Licence: Other

Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project
Copyright 2019 the Authors.
Final published version, 180 KBLicence: Other

Cite this

Gascon, M., Götschi, T., de Nazelle, A., Gracia, E., Ambròs, A., Márquez, S., Marquet, O., Avila-Palencia, I., Brand, C., Iacorossi, F., Raser, E., Gaupp-Berghausen, M., Dons, E., Laeremans, M., Kahlmeier, S., Sánchez, J., Gerike, R., Anaya-Boig, E., Panis, L. I., & Nieuwenhuijsen, M. (2019). Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project. Environmental Health Perspectives, 127(9), Article 097003. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4603

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title = "Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Although walking for travel can help in reaching the daily recommended levels of physical activity, we know relatively little about the correlates of walking for travel in the European context.OBJECTIVE: Within the framework of the European Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA) project, we aimed to explore the correlates of walking for travel in European cities.METHODS: The same protocol was applied in seven European cities. Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected information on total minutes of walking per week, individual characteristics, mobility behavior, and attitude (N=7,875). Characteristics of the built environment (the home and the work/study addresses) were determined with geographic information system (GIS)-based techniques. We conducted negative binomial regression analyses, including city as a random effect. Factor and principal component analyses were also conducted to define profiles of the different variables of interest.RESULTS: Living in high-density residential areas with richness of facilities and density of public transport stations was associated with increased walking for travel, whereas the same characteristics at the work/study area were less strongly associated with the outcome when the residential and work/study environments were entered in the model jointly. A walk-friendly social environment was associated with walking for travel. All three factors describing different opinions about walking (ranging from good to bad) were associated with increased minutes of walking per week, although the importance given to certain criteria to choose a mode of transport provided different results according to the criteria.DISCUSSION: The present study supports findings from previous research regarding the role of the built environment in the promotion of walking for travel and provides new findings to help in achieving sustainable, healthy, livable, and walkable cities. ",

keywords = "Cities, Environment Design, Europe, Exercise, Geographic Information Systems, Humans, Pedestrians/statistics & numerical data, Socioeconomic Factors, Travel, Walking",

author = "Mireia Gascon and Thomas G{\"o}tschi and {de Nazelle}, Audrey and Esther Gracia and Albert Ambr{\`o}s and Sandra M{\'a}rquez and Oriol Marquet and Ione Avila-Palencia and Christian Brand and Francesco Iacorossi and Elisabeth Raser and Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen and Evi Dons and Michelle Laeremans and Sonja Kahlmeier and Julian S{\'a}nchez and Regine Gerike and Esther Anaya-Boig and Panis, {Luc Int} and Mark Nieuwenhuijsen",

year = "2019",

month = sep,

day = "18",

doi = "10.1289/EHP4603",

language = "English",

volume = "127",

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issn = "0091-6765",

publisher = "Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services",

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Gascon, M, Götschi, T, de Nazelle, A, Gracia, E, Ambròs, A, Márquez, S, Marquet, O, Avila-Palencia, I, Brand, C, Iacorossi, F, Raser, E, Gaupp-Berghausen, M, Dons, E, Laeremans, M, Kahlmeier, S, Sánchez, J, Gerike, R, Anaya-Boig, E, Panis, LI & Nieuwenhuijsen, M 2019, 'Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project', Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 127, no. 9, 097003. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4603

TY - JOUR

T1 - Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project

AU - Gascon, Mireia

AU - Götschi, Thomas

AU - de Nazelle, Audrey

AU - Gracia, Esther

AU - Ambròs, Albert

AU - Márquez, Sandra

AU - Marquet, Oriol

AU - Avila-Palencia, Ione

AU - Brand, Christian

AU - Iacorossi, Francesco

AU - Raser, Elisabeth

AU - Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin

AU - Dons, Evi

AU - Laeremans, Michelle

AU - Kahlmeier, Sonja

AU - Sánchez, Julian

AU - Gerike, Regine

AU - Anaya-Boig, Esther

AU - Panis, Luc Int

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark

PY - 2019/9/18

Y1 - 2019/9/18

N2 - BACKGROUND: Although walking for travel can help in reaching the daily recommended levels of physical activity, we know relatively little about the correlates of walking for travel in the European context.OBJECTIVE: Within the framework of the European Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA) project, we aimed to explore the correlates of walking for travel in European cities.METHODS: The same protocol was applied in seven European cities. Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected information on total minutes of walking per week, individual characteristics, mobility behavior, and attitude (N=7,875). Characteristics of the built environment (the home and the work/study addresses) were determined with geographic information system (GIS)-based techniques. We conducted negative binomial regression analyses, including city as a random effect. Factor and principal component analyses were also conducted to define profiles of the different variables of interest.RESULTS: Living in high-density residential areas with richness of facilities and density of public transport stations was associated with increased walking for travel, whereas the same characteristics at the work/study area were less strongly associated with the outcome when the residential and work/study environments were entered in the model jointly. A walk-friendly social environment was associated with walking for travel. All three factors describing different opinions about walking (ranging from good to bad) were associated with increased minutes of walking per week, although the importance given to certain criteria to choose a mode of transport provided different results according to the criteria.DISCUSSION: The present study supports findings from previous research regarding the role of the built environment in the promotion of walking for travel and provides new findings to help in achieving sustainable, healthy, livable, and walkable cities.

AB - BACKGROUND: Although walking for travel can help in reaching the daily recommended levels of physical activity, we know relatively little about the correlates of walking for travel in the European context.OBJECTIVE: Within the framework of the European Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA) project, we aimed to explore the correlates of walking for travel in European cities.METHODS: The same protocol was applied in seven European cities. Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected information on total minutes of walking per week, individual characteristics, mobility behavior, and attitude (N=7,875). Characteristics of the built environment (the home and the work/study addresses) were determined with geographic information system (GIS)-based techniques. We conducted negative binomial regression analyses, including city as a random effect. Factor and principal component analyses were also conducted to define profiles of the different variables of interest.RESULTS: Living in high-density residential areas with richness of facilities and density of public transport stations was associated with increased walking for travel, whereas the same characteristics at the work/study area were less strongly associated with the outcome when the residential and work/study environments were entered in the model jointly. A walk-friendly social environment was associated with walking for travel. All three factors describing different opinions about walking (ranging from good to bad) were associated with increased minutes of walking per week, although the importance given to certain criteria to choose a mode of transport provided different results according to the criteria.DISCUSSION: The present study supports findings from previous research regarding the role of the built environment in the promotion of walking for travel and provides new findings to help in achieving sustainable, healthy, livable, and walkable cities.

KW - Cities

KW - Environment Design

KW - Europe

KW - Exercise

KW - Geographic Information Systems

KW - Humans

KW - Pedestrians/statistics & numerical data

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Travel

KW - Walking

U2 - 10.1289/EHP4603

DO - 10.1289/EHP4603

M3 - Article

C2 - 31532248

SN - 0091-6765

VL - 127

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 9

M1 - 097003

ER -

Correlates of walking for travel in seven European cities: the PASTA project

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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