Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26603246›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2015

Neighbourhood walkability, daily steps and utilitarian walking in Canadian adults.

Samantha Hajna, Nancy A Ross, Lawrence Joseph, Sam Harper, Kaberi Dasgupta

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

33 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Associations of neighbourhood walkability with patterns of device-measured stepping, standing and sitting.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025
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  20. Test-Retest Reliability and Walk ScoreInternational journal of environmental research and public health · 2019
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Samantha HajnaDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Nancy A RossDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Lawrence JosephDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Sam HarperDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Kaberi DasguptaDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo estimate the associations of neighbourhood walkability (based on Geographic Information System (GIS)-derived measures of street connectivity, land use mix, and population density and the Walk Score) with self-reported utilitarian walking and accelerometer-assessed daily steps in Canadian adults.

designA cross-sectional analysis of data collected as part of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007-2009).

settingHome neighbourhoods (500 m polygonal street network buffers around the centroid of the participant's postal code) located in Atlantic Canada, Québec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia.

participants5605 individuals participated in the survey. 3727 adults (≥18 years) completed a computer-assisted interview and attended a mobile clinic assessment. Analyses were based on those who had complete exposure, outcome and covariate data (n=2949). MAIN EXPOSURE MEASURES: GIS-derived walkability (based on land use mix, street connectivity and population density); Walk Score.

main outcome measuresSelf-reported utilitarian walking; accelerometer-assessed daily steps.

resultsNo important relationship was observed between neighbourhood walkability and daily steps. Participants who reported more utilitarian walking, however, accumulated more steps (<1 h/week: 6613 steps/day, 95% CI 6251 to 6975; 1 to 5 h/week: 6768 steps/day, 95% CI 6420 to 7117; ≥6 h/week: 7391 steps/day, 95% CI 6972 to 7811). There was a positive graded association between walkability and odds of walking ≥1 h/week for utilitarian purposes (eg, Q4 vs Q1 of GIS-derived walkability: OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.11; Q3 vs Q1: OR=1.41, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.76; Q2 vs Q1: OR=1.13, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.39) independent of age, sex, body mass index, married/common law status, annual household income, having children in the household, immigrant status, mood disorder, perceived health, ever smoker and season.

conclusionsContrary to expectations, living in more walkable Canadian neighbourhoods was not associated with more total walking. Utilitarian walking and daily steps were, however, correlated and walkability demonstrated a positive graded relationship with utilitarian walking.

Indexed as

Activities of Daily LivingEnvironment DesignAdolescentAdultAgedCanadaChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGeographic Information SystemsHumansMaleMiddle AgedResidence CharacteristicsSocioeconomic FactorsWalkingEPIDEMIOLOGYPREVENTIVE MEDICINEPUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID26603246
PMCPMC4679838

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.