ABSTRACT: Considering the increase of health problems related to inactivity and noncommunicable diseases, such as heart diseases and obesity, many researches carry out the correlation between the built environment and physical activity. These issues relate health with urban planning studies. Walking occurs in daily activities and can be considered as a viable alternative to reduce health problems and to promote physical activity. To analyze and measure walkability it is possible to apply the Walkability Index, which was created by Frank et al. (2010a) and it systematizes four built environment variables: net residential density, retail floor area ratio, intersection density and land use mix. This article aims to describe the construction of the Walkability Index in Cambé – Paraná State – Brazil. The Walkability Index map revealed which census wards are more walkable in Cambé and showed that the instrument can be applied in different contexts. The contribution of this study refers to the development of strategies to insert walkability in the urban planning discussions and point out issues to make our cities healthier and more sustainable.
Open PDF