Many Pathways from Land Use to Health: Associations between Neighborhood Walkability and Active Transportation, Body Mass Index, and Air Quality

According to some researchers, many zoning and subdivision regulations are doing a poor job of protecting public health, safety, and welfare (Jackson, ; Lavizzo-Mourey & McGinnis, ; Schilling & Linton, ). Zoning ordinances often require separation between residential and other land uses and restrict mixed-use development capable of supporting local retail and regional transit service (Knaap & Nelson, ). Subdivision regulations often favor disconnected cul-de-sac street designs over more connected grid net-works. As a result, the distances between places where people live, work, and play are often too great to walk. In the Seattle region, where this study was based, .% of all work trips…