…B𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲
Urban form shapes not only how much we walk, but who gets to walk. Walking remains one of the most accessible ways to integrate physical activity into everyday life, yet this opportunity is not distributed equally—especially when gender and neighbourhood context intersect.
In our paper published in The Geographical Journal, we explored how gender and urban morphology interact to shape daily walking patterns among young adults in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region.
📱 Using smartphone tracking data from students commuting to the same university, we found:
✅ Compact urban forms promote gender equity: In walkable central neighbourhoods, gender gaps in walking were much narrower.
✅ Suburban women are at a disadvantage: Women living in small towns or suburbs walkedsignificantly less than both men and urban women—up to 28 minutes less per day.
✅ Built environment matters: It’s not just individual choice—urban design directly affects mobility behaviour and access to physical activity.
Planning implication: If we care about equitable access to healthy, active lives, we must considerwho walks, where, and why some don’t. Supporting compact, walkable environments is a gender equity issue.
📖 Citation: Monika Maciejewska, Guillem Vich, Xavier Delclòs Alió & Carme MirallesGuasch. (2023). Gendered morphologies and walking: Evidence from smartphone tracking data among young adults in Barcelona. The Geographical Journal,189(4), 686-700.
