Baseline characteristics of study population living in neighborhoods within the lowest and highest decile of walkability (n=1,128,181)
| Variables N (%) | Least walkability decile (D1)* (n=145 251) | Most walkability decile (D10)* (n=103 218) |
| Mean±SD age† | 41.9±11.3 | 40.7±11.3 |
| Female | 86 476 (59.5) | 61 271 (59.4) |
| Income quintile (Q)‡ | ||
| Q1 (lowest) | 7689 (5.3) | 31 692 (30.7) |
| Q5 (highest) | 52 069 (35.8) | 15 677 (15.2) |
| Mean±SD walkability score | −3.7±0.7 | 9.4±4.5 |
| Immigration status | ||
| Immigrants | 30 598 (21.1) | 24 530 (23.8) |
| Long-term residents | 114 653 (78.9) | 78 688 (76.2) |
| Previous hypertension | 20 700 (14.3) | 11 953 (11.6) |
| Mean±SD lipids | ||
| HDL | 1.47±0.40 | 1.51±0.42 |
| LDL | 3.17±0.92 | 3.10±0.93 |
| Total cholesterol | 5.26±1.05 | 5.20±1.06 |
| Triglycerides | 1.46±0.99 | 1.45±1.06 |
| Mean±SD age glucose | ||
| Fasting (FPG) | 5.1±0.5 | 5.0±0.5 |
| HbA1c | 5.4±0.3 | 5.3±0.3 |
All variables were significant at p<0.001.
Study area: Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Ottawa, London.
*Least walkability refers to the lowest decile of walkability and most walkability refers to the highest decile of walkability.
†Demographic information (age and sex) were obtained from the Registered Persons Database.
‡The 2006 Canadian census to produce neighborhood income quintiles adjusting for household and community size.
FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein.