Designing healthy communities: creating evidence on metrics for built environment features associated with walkable neighbourhood activity centres

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity201714:164

Authors: Lucy Dubrelle Gunn Email author, Suzanne Mavoa, Claire Boulangé, Paula Hooper, Anne Kavanagh and Billie Giles-Corti

Abstract: Evidence-based metrics are needed to inform urban policy to create healthy walkable communities. Most active living research has developed metrics of the environment around residential addresses, ignoring other important walking locations. Therefore, this study examined: metrics for built environment features surrounding local shopping centres, (known in Melbourne, Australia as neighbourhood activity centres (NACs) which are typically anchored by a supermarket); the association between NACs and transport walking; and, policy compliance for supermarket provision.