Background: Walkable urban form predicts physical activity and lower body mass index, which lower C-reactive protein (CRP). However, urban form is also related to pollution, noise, social and health behavior, crowding, and other stressors, which may complement or contravene walkability effects.
Purpose: This paper assesses within-neighborhood correlation of CRP, and whether three features of walkable urban form (residential density, street connectivity, and land use mix) are associated with CRP levels.
Methods: CRP measures (n=610) and sociodemographic data come from the 2001-3 Chicago Community Adult Health Study, linked with objective built environment data.
Results: Within-neighborhood correlations of CRP are greater than those of related health measures. A one standard deviation increase in residential density predicts significantly higher log CRP (e.g. β=0.11, p<.01) in Chicago, while a one standard deviation increase in land use mix predicts significantly lower CRP (e.g. β=-0. 19, p<0.01). Street connectivity is unrelated to CRP in this highly walkable city.
Discussion: Results suggest that residential density may be a risk factor for inflammation, while greater walkability of mixed land use areas may be protective. It may be that negative aspects of density overcome the inflammatory benefits of walking.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; Density; Inflammation; Land use mix; Walkability; Walkable urban form.
© 2013.