Thursday 2 April,  

Numbers do not lie, and everything adds up. This personal study shows the relationship between daily walking and the resulting change in BMI over a two year period in two different cities. The study looks at the daily number of steps taken and compares it to the change in BMI, relating this back to what may have caused the changes, and land-use and transport planning. The results emphasise the difference in the land-use and transportation environment of the city of Auckland and the city of Munich (Germany). Additionally, it shows how land use is a significant contributing factor in the choices made in transportation journeys; and looks at how a city is planned changes the city make up. City characteristics investigated include housing affordability, development density and type, dominant modes, parking provision and the availability of active mode facilities. From small to big there are many factors that influence how many steps people take in a day. The study leads to bigger transport planning and land use questions. How strong are the links between walkability and health? Is in fact, land use and transport the key to resolving New Zealand's top cause of illness and early death - obesity?