title: Relationship between urban sprawl and physical activity, obesity, and morbidity - update and refinement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to model multiple health outcomes and behaviors in terms of the updated, refined, and validated county compactness/sprawl measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple health outcomes and behaviors are modeled using multi-level analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for observed confounding influences, both original and new compactness measures are negatively related to BMI, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Indices are not significantly related to physical activity, perhaps because physical activity is not defined broadly to include active travel to work, shopping, and other destinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Developing urban and suburban areas in a more compact manner may have some salutary effect on obesity and chronic disease trends.
authors.affiliation: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, 375 S 1530 E RM 235, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: ewing@arch.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Reid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.affiliation: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, 375 S 1530 E RM 235, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: g.meakins@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meakins
authors.affiliation: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, 375 S 1530 E RM 235, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: shima.hamidi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamidi
authors.affiliation: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, 375 S 1530 E RM 235, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: acnelson@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Arthur C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D014506:Urban Renewal
keywords: Built environment; Compactness; Obesity; Physical activity; Sprawl