Walk Score®之相關文獻回顧：身體活動、步行行為及慢性疾病風險

A literature review of Walk Score ® : physical activity, walking behavior and risk of chronic diseases

世界衛生組織指出身體活動量不足為全球第四位的死亡危險因子，而宜走性環境為促進身體活動、步行行為；減少肥胖、慢性疾病風險的重要決定因子之一。Walk Score®網站為公開且能快速測量宜走性環境的新興工具，本文將系統性回顧2007年後與Walk Score®網站及身體活動、步行行為、慢性疾病風險有關的發表研究。本文使用PubMed與華藝線上資料庫搜尋2007至2017年間，以中、英文發表的探討Walk Score®網站與身體健康相關之文獻，經系統性地篩選後，一共納入28篇符合標準之文獻。現有研究多為橫斷性設計，且集中於加拿大與美國。我們根據健康結果將其歸納成「身體活動／步行行為」、「身體質量指數」、與「慢性疾病／醫療費用」三大範疇。納入回顧的文獻顯示，Walk Score分數與身體活動／步行行為呈正相關，但與慢性疾病的風險呈負相關。建議未來研究採用大數據，以確保研究結果的可靠性；並採取縱貫性設計，建立因果關係之推論，作為由環境層面的介入，有利提升民眾參與身體活動的重要參考。 According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is the fourth most prevalent risk factor for mortality. Studies indicate that environmental walkability is one of the main determinants of physical activity, walking behavior, obesity, and chronic diseases/medical expenditure exposure. The Walk Score® website, established in 2007, is a public, easy to navigate, and novel measurement of the amenity of a particular urban environment to walking. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature from 2007-2017 investigating the association of Walk Score® with several health-related outcomes. The study systematically reviewed literature on the association of Walk Score® with health-related outcomes, primarily through PubMed and Airiti Library (2007-2017). Twenty-eight articles met the criteria and were included in this study. The majority of studies was cross-sectional and most were from the US and Canada. We generalized the findings into three broad categories: physical activity/walking behavior, body mass index, and chronic diseases/medical expenditure. Most studies reported that Walk Score® was positively associated with physical activity and walking behavior, but negatively associated with obesity, some chronic diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease and cancer), and medical expenditure. Future research needs to use large sample sizes and longitudinal design to understanding the causal mechanism between external measures such as Walk Score® and health-related outcomes and provide encouragement to the public to engage in more physical activity.

According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is the fourth most prevalent risk factor for mortality. Studies indicate that environmental walkability is one of the main determinants of physical activity, walking behavior, obesity, and chronic diseases/medical expenditure exposure. The Walk Score® website, established in 2007, is a public, easy to navigate, and novel measurement of the amenity of a particular urban environment to walking. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature from 2007-2017 investigating the association of Walk Score® with several health-related outcomes. The study systematically reviewed literature on the association of Walk Score® with health-related outcomes, primarily through PubMed and Airiti Library (2007-2017). Twenty-eight articles met the criteria and were included in this study. The majority of studies was cross-sectional and most were from the US and Canada. We generalized the findings into three broad categories: physical activity/walking behavior, body mass index, and chronic diseases/medical expenditure. Most studies reported that Walk Score® was positively associated with physical activity and walking behavior, but negatively associated with obesity, some chronic diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease and cancer), and medical expenditure. Future research needs to use large sample sizes and longitudinal design to understanding the causal mechanism between external measures such as Walk Score® and health-related outcomes and provide encouragement to the public to engage in more physical activity.