ABSTRACT
Services like shops and public transportation need a critical mass of daytime and nighttime users. In terms of health, the issue of involves a number of trade-offs between low- and high-density values, although the problems of higher densities have not been much studied. Planners and architects are typically strong proponents of higher densities as they have many advantages, particularly at the density ranges prevalent in middle- and higher-income countries. Research related to density includes work on density per se but also proximity to resources. Neighborhoods and districts that accommodate high densities may achieve an economy of scale appropriate for services that directly or indirectly support health. Ann Forsyth and Kevin Krizek international review of 300 empirical studies on promoting bicycle and pedestrian activity found that a strong predictor for higher rates of pedestrian activity for transportation is the urban form-including density and street pattern-along with proximity of nearby destinations.
