Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with adults’ walking and bicycling for transport: Findings from a 12-country study

Abstract

Purpose: To understand which built environment perceptions correlate with walking and bicycling for transport, and to examine the strength and shape of these relationships across diverse cities and countries. Methods: Common study methods were performed across 17 cities in 12 countries. Participants were selected from neighborhoods that varied in walkability and where possible income. Nine scales from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale assessed the perceived environment. The IPAQ long measured transportation walking and bicycling. Outcomes included any walking/bicycling, 150+ minutes per week of walking/bicycling and total minutes walking/bicycling in those who walked/biked. GAMMS analyses were employed to assess the shape and strength of relationships and investigate city interactions. Results: Percentages of the 13,745 participants reporting any walking ranged from 52-92%, any bicycling from 1-63%, meeting walking guidelines from 14-62%, and 150+ minutes bicycling 0-29%. Total minutes walking ranged from 79 to 402 and total minutes bicycling ranged from 1- 136. Stores and transit stops within easy access, street connectivity, infrastructure safety (street lights, crossings and sidewalks), aesthetics, and local destinations were related to any walking or bicycling for transport and walking or bicycling for transport > 150 minutes a week. Safety was negatively related to outcomes. Some cities presented stronger relationships than others and in some cities the results were not in the expected direction. Conclusions: Our study found more consistent environmental predictors for both bicycling and walking for transportation than previous studies suggesting that built environment interventions might impact both behaviors in a “two for one” manner.