Abstract

Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world, with a population of over 247 million people in 2023. According to the World Health Organization, 23% of Pakistan’s population is obese, with higher prevalence among women (26%) compared to men (19.9%). Recent research in high-income countries has identified built-environment as an important factor impacting physical activity, as well as health outcomes like obesity rates. However, work linking built-environment and health outcomes is scattered for low- and middle- income countries. This study, therefore, aimed to construct a consistent and simple built-environment walkability score for Pakistan using Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) data, and investigate any causal associations with obesity incidence among women. After evaluating multiple combinations of geospatial covariates, a primary walkability index consisting of population and built-up densities, vegetation, travel times, and nighttime lights was selected. Causal inference methods - comprising linear and logistic regressions, as well as propensity scores matching - did not reveal any statistically significant effect of high walkability on obesity incidence or Body Mass Index. However, factors like women’s age, employment status, and household wealth were observed to have significant associations with obesity across all methods.

Publication Date

7-31-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Applied Statistics (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Mathematics and Statistics, School of

College

College of Science

Advisor

Ernest Fokoue

Advisor/Committee Member

Teresa Gibson

Advisor/Committee Member

Gregory Babbitt

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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