7 papers11 findings
Hip fracture
no changein humans1
Neighborhood walkability has no effect on hip fracture in humans.
“Greater neighborhood walkability was significantly associated with lower hip fracture incidence among women (hazard ratio per 1 standard deviation increase of 0.72 [95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.98]), but not overall or among men.”
Humansmedian 10 yearsmales
More walkable areas linked to lower hip fracture risk in older women
Environmental research10 Oct 2026
Visuospatial ability
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability impairs visuospatial ability in humans (B=-.0002, SE=.0001, p=.0139).
“More walkability was associated with better baseline visuospatial ability (B=.0015, SE=.0008, p=.0683), but faster decline (B=-.0002, SE=.0001, p=.0139).”
Humansadjusting for demographics, health factors, and neighborhood SES79% femalesn = 786
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025
Cognitive decline
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability decreases cognitive decline in humans (estimate=0.019, SE=0.009).
“Women living in areas with higher walkability showed slower rates of decline in immediate (estimate=0.019, SE=0.009) and delayed recall (estimate=0.018, SE=0.008)”
Humansover midlifefemalesn = 1,391
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
Temporo-parietal gray matter volume
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability protects against temporo-parietal gray matter volume in humans (β=2.84, p = 0.001).
“In CU, higher walkability counteracted the effect of age on temporo‐parietal GM volumes (β=2.84, p = 0.001, Figure 1).”
Humanscognitively unimpaired older adultstemporo-parietal gray matter
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
Social cohesion
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability decreases social cohesion in humans.
“low walkability and poor building condition (independently of each other as well as in a combined form) were associated with decreased ability in IADL and lower social cohesion”
Humans
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024
Instrumental activities of daily living
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability decreases instrumental activities of daily living in humans.
“low walkability and poor building condition (independently of each other as well as in a combined form) were associated with decreased ability in IADL”
Humans
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024
Steps
upin humans1
Neighborhood walkability increases steps in humans (+1381 average steps per day (95% CI: 204,2558)).
“the high walkability/high disadvantage group had an average 1381 more steps per day (95% CI: 204,2558) compared to the low walkability/high disadvantage group.”
Humansin high socioeconomic disadvantagen = 168
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024
Hip fracture
downin humans1HR 0.72
Neighborhood walkability lowers the risk of hip fracture in humans (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.53-0.98).
“Greater neighborhood walkability was significantly associated with lower hip fracture incidence among women (hazard ratio per 1 standard deviation increase of 0.72 [95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.98])”
Humansper 1 standard deviation increasemedian 10 yearsfemales
More walkable areas linked to lower hip fracture risk in older women
Environmental research10 Oct 2026
Type 2 diabetes
downin humans1
Neighborhood walkability lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes in humans (aHR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74, 0.99).
“medium (aHR 0.85 [95% CI 0.74, 0.99]), and high (aHR 0.88 [95% CI 0.76, 1.03]) walkability (vs. low) were protective or null.”
Humans12 yearsfemalesn = 12,403
Diabetes care11 Aug 2026
Visuospatial ability
upin humans1
Neighborhood walkability is associated with visuospatial ability in humans (B=.0015, SE=.0008, p=.0683).
“More walkability was associated with better baseline visuospatial ability (B=.0015, SE=.0008, p=.0683)”
Humansadjusting for demographics, health factors, and neighborhood SES79% femalesn = 786
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025
WAIS Digits forward scores
upin humans1
Neighborhood walkability is associated with WAIS Digits forward scores in humans (β=3.774, p <0.001).
“In the full sample, there was a main effect of walkability on WAIS Digits forward scores (β=3.774, p <0.001)”
Humansfull sample
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
Women’s relative hip fracture rate was 0.72 compared with women one standard deviation lower in neighbourhood walkability, an increment reflecting variation in scores.Women’s relative hip fracture rate was 0.72 compared with women one standard deviation lower in neighbourhood walkability, an increment reflecting variation in scores.