Correlation Between Neighborhood Built Environment and Leisure Walking Time Around a Riverside Park

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether the distance to a riverside park and the neighborhood built environment are related to individuals’ leisure walking time by examining the case of the Geumho riverside park in Daegu, South Korea. Background: Walking, being an inexpensive means of transportation with numerous health benefits, is influenced by the conditions of neighborhood built environments. Methods: A survey was conducted from October 12 to November 8, 2022, including 184 adults aged 18 years or older. The dependent variable was the total weekly minutes of leisure walking, and the independent variables included the neighborhood built environment measured objectively using geographic information systems as well as demographic/individual characteristics and health attitude data. Analysis of variance was conducted to determine whether leisure walking time differed depending on the distance to the riverside park, and regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between leisure walking time and the neighborhood built environment. Results: Individuals living within a quarter-mile of the park walked an average of 155 min per week for leisure, which was significantly more than those living further than 1 mile (mean = 85.14 min/week). Moreover, greater access to the park, higher crosswalk density, and a lower road density were associated with more leisure walking time for residents. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that good access to riverside parks and pedestrian-centered neighborhood environments may be related to leisure walking among residents. These findings hold significance for urban planning and the formulation of public health policies.