Geostatistical Modeling of Built Environment Characteristics of Urban Moveability

Abstract

Physical inactivity is considered as a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases. In particular, technological developments and environmental changes led to a decrease of physical activity in daily life. In the last two decades, the investigation of factors influencing physical activity more and more focused on characteristics of the built environment and identified opportunities as well as barriers for physical activity. The walkability concept was established to investigate the association between the built environment and physical activity. This research starts from a walkability index that combines urban measures for residential density, land use mix, and street connectivity. The walkability index was mainly used to investigate neighborhoods that support physical activity with regard to active transport of adults in everyday life. In this thesis, the walkability concept was expanded in order to assess walkability measures and recreational facilities that affect physical activity in European children. A new concept was introduced to capture opportunities for physical activity in the neighborhood of children, called moveability index.