Cognitive Urban Qualities and Physical Activities A Comparison of two Neighborhoods

Abstract

Despite the improvement of health services, current urban dwellers are exposed to an increase in non-contagious diseases. Lack of physical activity for recreational purposes or daily transport and the resulting obesity have been identified as the main causes for the spread of these non-contagious diseases. Employing a quantitative methodology to compare the data for two different districts in Tehran, this research focuses on the correlation between properties of urban form and the degree of residents’ physical activity. The data for this research was collected by face-to-face interviews with some 123 adult residents aged between 18~65 using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS). Data analysis included a test-retest reliability and covariance analyses. The results indicate that constituent parameters for urban quality positively correlate with residents’ physical activity. In the first district where functional, aesthetic and environmental parameters encourage physical activity, residents have significantly higher physical activity. On the contrary, the level of physical activity is much lower in the second district which is supportive of vehicular use as the main transportation mode. In conclusion, two detrimental characteristics of urban form that instigate physical activity are identified to be permeability and mixed use.