TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Regional differences in walking frequency and BMI: What role does the built environment play for Blacks and Whites? JO - Health and place A1 - Scott, Molly M. A1 - Dubowitz, Tamara A1 - Cohen, Deborah A. SP - 882 EP - 887 VL - 15 IS - 3 N2 - Studies have found that urban sprawl explains many regional differences in BMI and walking behavior. Yet, African Americans, who often live in dense, urban neighborhoods with exemplar street connectivity, suffer disproportionately from obesity. This study analyzed walking and BMI among 1124 Whites and 691 Blacks in Los Angeles County and southern Louisiana in relation to neighborhood safety, street connectivity, and walking destinations. While the built environment partly explains regional differences in walking and BMI among Whites, the magnitude of effect was modest. There were no regional differences in outcomes for African Americans; individual rather than neighborhood characteristics served as the best predictors.
LA - SN - 1353-8292 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.02.010 ID - ref1 ER -