Moving beyond walkability: On the potential of health geography

In the context of the substantial volume of research focused in recent years on the walkability of the built environment, this report presents some initial thoughts on what the sub-discipline of health geography might be able to contribute, beyond what it currently does, to existing debates. It is posited that at one level this contribution could be critical yet constructive, focussing on the limitations of current epistemological and methodological approaches but offering ideas on how they and others might be developed. At another level, given the limited scope of existing walkability research, a further contribution could be to pay attention to different forms of embodiment, movement activities, their relationships to health, and the places, experiences, agency and cultures involved. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.