Objectively Measured Walking: Temporal, Spatial, and Built Environmental Characteristics

Abstract

Walking and environmental correlates have been increasingly investigated in the field of public health and transportation. Recent development in real-time activity and location tracking technology provides a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between walking and environments. This dissertation developed a methodology to measure PA and to classify types objectively (walking versus non-walking and utilitarian versus recreational) using such new-technology data (accelerometer and GPS). Based on the objective measures of walking and PA, the inter-relationships among PA components were analyzed. Findings showed that increased walking contributed to total PA without reducing other types of PA. This suggested that no substitutive behaviors existed between walking and other types of PA, and that more walking would correspond to a net increase in overall PA. In addition, differences between utilitarian and recreational walking were investigated. Utilitarian and recreational walking can be determined more objectively by travel diary and GPS data. It was shown that walking is not a one-kind behavior, and utilitarian walking should be distinguished from recreational walking. Environmental variables strongly predicted utilitarian walking but not recreational walking. Correlates of utilitarian walking seem to also apply to overall PA.