Defining Mixed-Use: Which Land Uses Promote Walking?

Though researchers have explored the general impacts of mixed use development on physical activity, few have examined which specific land uses should be mixed. This study addresses this gap by examining the influence of the presence, intensity and diversity of land uses on utilitarian walking. Built environment data was related to utilitarian walking for individuals (n=251) in Montgomery County, Maryland. For a variety of land uses including banks, bus stops, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, libraries, rail stations, offices, parks, recreation centers, non-fast food restaurants, retail, schools, sports facilities, night uses, physical activity uses and social uses, exposure measures included the distance from participants’ homes to the closest instance of each land use (presence), the number of instances of each land use (intensity), and the number of different land uses present (diversity), all within circles of ½ and ¼ mile radii from participants’ residences.