الفهرس 
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Abstract
Obesity is one of the 21st century’s most serious global health challenges. It has reached an alarming rate of increase in Egypt. This thesis aims at investigating the relationship between some attributes of the built environment (BE) at the neighborhood level and its possible impact on adults’ overweight/obesity. Therefore, a cross-sectional study has been applied on two neighborhoods in Alexandria with different BE characteristics; Ezbet Saad and Al-Hadar Bahary neighborhood. The built environment attributes were collected using the Irvine- Minnesota Inventory (IMI) which includes a list of 162 BE characteristics related to the block level. A total of 91 street segments were audited; including 49 in Ezbet Saad and 42 in Al-Hadara. Regarding the Body Mass Index (BMI), the recommended data (i.e., weight, height, age) were gathered from Smouha Family Healthcare Unit and an on-site questionnaire. The total number of samples (n= 309); including 162 in Ezbet Saad and 147 in Al-Hadara neighborhood. Also, a survey was conducted to understand residents’ walking patterns and perceptions towards the BE. The Built environment was analyzed at the neighborhood level using the State of Place Index, a measurement of walkability and quality of place, which consists of eleven BE dimensions. Chi-Square, Mann-Whitney test, and T-test were used to statistically analyze the State of Place index. Then, the BMI was analyzed using Chi-Square and T-test. A logistic regression model was applied to analyze the survey results. The results found four urban determinants related to connectivity, traffic safety, aesthetics, and form, that were found to be significantly higher in Al-Hadara neighborhood (whose residents had lower BMIs) than Ezbet Saad. In other words, the higher State of Place Index was associated with lower rates of adult obesity. Furthermore, the regression model showed that active means of transport and safety at night were two extra-urban determinants that have a positive impact on BMI. All these factors may be what ultimately increased walkability in the Al-Hadara neighborhood and consequently influenced lower BMIs. Eventually, this thesis paves the way for other researchers concerned with the possible impact of the Alexandrian built environment on adults overweight/obesity.