The impact of subregional variations in urban sprawl on the prevalence of obesity and related morbidity

This article examines the relationship between urban sprawl and health using a new methodological approach that accounts for the subregional variation in the different attributes of sprawl in metropolitan regions. We have developed several indicators of sprawl at the neighborhood level, including compactness, land use mix, automobile dependency, transportation connectivity, and walkability. We then use multinomial logistic models to estimate the contribution of these characteristics to the formation of high- and low-disease-prevalence clusters. Results indicate the significant role of walkability, percentage open space, and commute burden in explaining the prevalence of obesity and related diseases.