TY - JOUR
T1 - Is walkability healthy for all? Using the National Environmental Database to examine equity in the environmental health characteristics of pedestrian-supportive neighborhoods in the U.S.
AU - Braun, Lindsay M.
AU - Fox, Eric H.
AU - Frank, Lawrence D.
N1 - The authors would like to acknowledge the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), especially the Senior Program Officers Dr. Tracy Orleans and Carolyn Miller, for supporting the development of the National Environmental Database (NED). The NED was created by Urban Design 4 Health, Inc. (UD4H) as part of research funded by RWJF (Grant IDs: #74518, #72859 and #78206). The contents of this paper are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of RWJF.
This work was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [grant numbers 74518, 72859, and 78206].
This work was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [grant numbers 74518, 72859, and 78206].The authors would like to acknowledge the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), especially the Senior Program Officers Dr. Tracy Orleans and Carolyn Miller, for supporting the development of the National Environmental Database (NED). The NED was created by Urban Design 4 Health, Inc. (UD4H) as part of research funded by RWJF (Grant IDs: #74518, #72859 and #78206). The contents of this paper are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of RWJF.
PY - 2025/6
Y1 - 2025/6
N2 - Background: Marginalized populations in the U.S. often live in dense urban areas, which could promote active travel and health. However, while compactness can support walkability, it can also create exposure to pollution, noise, injury risk, and urban heat islands. These exposures may be higher for marginalized groups, creating systematic “walkability-related” risks. Objectives: We evaluated relationships between walkability, health-related environmental exposures, and social vulnerability, asking: (1) How are sociodemographic groups sorted across space with respect to walkability? (2) Do the environmental health correlates of walkability vary by social vulnerability? Methods: We compiled block group-level data for the 30 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. We measured walkability using the National Walkability Index; social vulnerability using indicators of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status; and environmental exposures using PM2.5, pedestrian fatalities, noise, and tree coverage. We used multilevel mixed-effects regressions to predict (1) walkability as a function of vulnerability and (2) each environmental exposure as a function of the cross-tabulation between walkability and vulnerability. Results: Higher walkability was associated with higher vulnerability. Compared to highly walkable block groups with low vulnerability, those with high vulnerability had higher PM2.5 and noise levels and lower tree coverage. These differences were even more pronounced among block groups with low walkability, suggesting pervasive inequities. Discussion: While marginalized groups often live in more walkable places, the “high” walkability to which they are exposed carries greater environmental risks than for privileged populations. Our findings illustrate the importance of mitigating environmental burdens that could dampen the health benefits of walkability in marginalized communities.
AB - Background: Marginalized populations in the U.S. often live in dense urban areas, which could promote active travel and health. However, while compactness can support walkability, it can also create exposure to pollution, noise, injury risk, and urban heat islands. These exposures may be higher for marginalized groups, creating systematic “walkability-related” risks. Objectives: We evaluated relationships between walkability, health-related environmental exposures, and social vulnerability, asking: (1) How are sociodemographic groups sorted across space with respect to walkability? (2) Do the environmental health correlates of walkability vary by social vulnerability? Methods: We compiled block group-level data for the 30 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. We measured walkability using the National Walkability Index; social vulnerability using indicators of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status; and environmental exposures using PM2.5, pedestrian fatalities, noise, and tree coverage. We used multilevel mixed-effects regressions to predict (1) walkability as a function of vulnerability and (2) each environmental exposure as a function of the cross-tabulation between walkability and vulnerability. Results: Higher walkability was associated with higher vulnerability. Compared to highly walkable block groups with low vulnerability, those with high vulnerability had higher PM2.5 and noise levels and lower tree coverage. These differences were even more pronounced among block groups with low walkability, suggesting pervasive inequities. Discussion: While marginalized groups often live in more walkable places, the “high” walkability to which they are exposed carries greater environmental risks than for privileged populations. Our findings illustrate the importance of mitigating environmental burdens that could dampen the health benefits of walkability in marginalized communities.
KW - Environmental justice
KW - Equity
KW - Injury
KW - Noise
KW - Pollution
KW - Walkability
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U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118024
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118024
M3 - Article
C2 - 40233633
AN - SCOPUS:105002425627
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 374
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
M1 - 118024
ER -