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The potential health benefits of walking in attractive, predominantly built-up urban settings have not received much attention from scholars, despite the global need to increase walking levels in cities. The current experimental study assessed the affective outcomes associated with several urban walking settings, with a focus on the presence of motor-traffic and architectural styles from different historic periods. We employed a mixed within-between subjects design (n = 269) with employees and students from Bristol (UK) and measured relaxation and hedonic tone experiences, perceived restorativeness, and environmental perceptions following exposures to one of five urban settings. Results identified three categories of affective outcomes, rather than the classic dichotomy 'urban vs natural': the simulated walks in areas with greenery rated significantly better than the others; however, the pedestrianised settings were associated with neutral or positive affective outcomes and perceptions, with statistically significant differences with an area with traffic. These results suggest that walking in high-quality urban settings can have positive outcomes, and highlight the negative role of traffic and the potential benefits of historic elements in the affective walking experience. From a policy perspective, findings strengthen the case for traffic removal, and indicate that exposure to high quality urban design that includes some natural elements can offer the same affective benefits offered by large green spaces.

RationaleBody dissatisfaction is prevalent in mid-adolescence and may be associated with the onset of depression.ObjectiveThe study assessed the influence of body dissatisfaction on the occurrence of later depressive episodes in a population-based sample of British adolescents.MethodParticipants were 2078 females and 1675 males from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort. Logistic regression was used to test if body dissatisfaction at 14 years old predicted the onset of depressive episodes at 18 years old, controlling for baseline depression.ResultsAmong females, body dissatisfaction predicted mild (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.31, 2.04), moderate (OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.28, 2.18) and severe depressive episodes (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.09, 3.12). Among males, body dissatisfaction predicted mild (OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.00, 2.25) and severe depressive episodes (OR=2.85, 95% CI=1.18, 6.87) at 18 years of age.ConclusionsThis is the first prospective study to demonstrate that body dissatisfaction in adolescence predicts the occurrence of later depressive episodes in a cohort born in the early 1990s. The findings highlight that body dissatisfaction is a public health concern.

The psychological wellbeing potential of walking in urban environments has received limited attention from scholars, despite the important public health implications of identifying characteristics of urban settings that support wellbeing and encourage behaviour change. The study is the first to explore psychological wellbeing experiences of urban walking framed by theories of restorative environments and therapeutic landscape. Self-reported psychological wellbeing experiences of walking in urban settings were investigated with an innovative application of the photo-elicited interview. Fourteen adults took individual walks in Bristol city centre and photographed their journey; photographs were then discussed during the interview. Participants reported specific engagements with place related to personal connections, the identity of place, and sense of community that resulted in psychological wellbeing benefits. The findings also support the notion that non-natural elements can promote positive affective and cognitive appraisals. Building on the finding that also urban walking can support psychological wellbeing, the findings encourage future research into the health potential of different characteristics of built environments.

According to psychological theories of environmental affect, the physical environment moderates the walking experience and its psychological wellbeing benefits. The present paper further demonstrates that affective experiences also influence intentions to walk. A study to explore the influence of affective experiences of walking on walking intentions is reported. A sample of adults working or studying in Bristol, UK (n = 384) participated in an experiment involving virtual exposure to one of five environments, with evaluations of their affective experience and of intentions to walk in the setting. A subsample (n = 14) then took part in photo-elicited semi-structured interviews. Multiple regression analyses showed that affective experiences of walking influenced walking intentions. Interview analyses highlighted the role of traffic, city busyness, and poor aesthetics. This is the first empirical study that examines the walking experience and related walking intentions from the pedestrian perspective employing theories of environmental affect. The findings indicate that safety, comfort, and moderate sensory stimulation are crucial elements for the walking experience. Following this, a strategy to promote active mobility in the built environment can be constructed around safety, comfort, and moderate sensory stimulation by targeting the micro elements that prevent them.

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Twenty mph (32.2 km/h) speed limits across urban areas are becoming a widespread tool for public health and road danger reduction globally. Determining the effectiveness of these interventions on motorised vehicle speeds is a crucial first step in any logic model that seeks to associate 20 mph speed limits to improved health and wellbeing outcomes. However, little is known about how the introduction of 20 mph limits affects speeds. This paper presents the findings from a novel comprehensive academic evaluation of the adjusted effects of a 20 mph sign-only city-wide intervention on vehicle speeds. This is based on a natural experiment that took place in Bristol, UK. Applying a quasi-stepped wedge design, speeds of 36,973,090 single vehicles, recorded by Automatic Traffic Counts before and after the 20 mph intervention, were analysed. Generalized linear mixed models were used to control for confounding variables. Results showed an unadjusted speed reduction of 4.7 mph (7.41 km/h) and an adjusted speed reduction of 2.66 mph (4.28 km/h) over two to three years. Some variability due to time variables was detected, with speed reductions being larger during night time, at weekends, and in summer months. The roads that did not receive the 20 mph intervention also saw a small reduction in speed (0.03 mph). The findings indicate that the 20 mph intervention was successful in lowering individual vehicle speeds. Policy makers are encouraged to implement a careful monitoring of the effects of 20 mph speed limit interventions on vehicle speeds in order to enable a meaningful evaluation of potential public health benefits.

Improving the mental health of urban residents is a global public health priority. This study builds on existing work that demonstrates the ability of virtual exposure to restorative environments to improve population mental health. It compares the restorative effects of green, blue and historic environments delivered by both flat screen and immersive virtual reality technology, and triangulates data from psychological, physiological and qualitative sources. Results from the subjective measure analyses showed that exposures to all the experimental videos were associated with self-reported reduced anxiety and improved mood, although the historic environment was associated with a smaller reduction of anxiety (p < 0.01). These results were supported by the qualitative accounts. For two of the electroencephalography (EEG) frequency bands, higher levels of activity were observed for historic environments. In relation to the mode of delivery, the subjective measures did not suggest any effect, while for the EEG analyses there was evidence of a significant effect of technology across three out of four frequency bands. In conclusion, this study adds to the evidence that the benefits of restorative environments can be delivered through virtual exposure and suggests that virtual reality may provide greater levels of immersion than flat screen viewing.