Impact of regional population density on walking behavior

Impact of regional population density on walking behavior

Tanishita, Masayoshi (Chuo University)
van Wee, G.P. (TU Delft Transport and Logistics)

2017

Land use can influence walking (measured by the number of steps) and so the health of people. This paper presents the result of empirical research on the impact of regional population densities (inhabitants per inhabitable area) on the number of steps (all steps, both outdoors and indoors). With data collected from almost 11,000 respondents in 148 Japanese regions, we estimate polynomial regression models, the total number of steps being the dependent variable and densities being the main independent variable. Regional population density significantly affects the number of steps after controlling for individual and household attributes. The estimated population density that maximizes the number of steps is around 11,000 persons/km². Increasing densities, up to levels of around 11,000 inhabitants/km², could increase walking and consequently the health of inhabitants. The population density elasticity of the number of steps is 0.046–0.049 in a simple log linear regression model without a peak.

behavior
health
indoors and outdoors
number of steps
population density
Walking

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:7146b9a7-9617-4667-b9a4-6f170a64f7c6

https://doi.org/10.1080/03081060.2017.1325137

2018-11-16

0308-1060

Transportation Planning and Technology, 40 (6), 661-678

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2017 Masayoshi Tanishita, G.P. van Wee