Walkers Are More Likely to be City Dwellers

Source: Tufts University
September 18, 2002 (Reviewed: September 3, 2004)

Despite ongoing health campaigns and media messages, the vast majority of adults don't yet take the minimum recommended amount of physical activity. Public health officials often suggest walking for exercise because it's inexpensive and doable for most people. However, walking may not be such an easy option in some neighborhoods. Two studies recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined how the environment influences walking habits.

The first study combined data from the 1996 Canadian census and data from 27 neighborhoods in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. Regions were assigned an 'environment score' based on such factors as the number of stores, schools, and parks; potential to see other people; presence of sidewalks; traffic threats; lighting; income and education level of residents. The researchers then compared whether these characteristics influenced the likelihood of walking to work.

Who walks to work?

Not surprisingly, more people in urban areas walked to work than did people in the suburbs and smaller urban cities. But, where environment scores were higher, more people walked to work, regardless of whether they lived in a city, suburb, or small town.

The second study analyzed data from a large representative survey of US adults (the NHANES III). Researchers looked at how often participants walked a mile or more, their physical activity levels (other than walking), and the age of their house.

They found that those who lived in older houses (built before 1974) walked more than those who live in newer homes. Rural areas were an exception. There the age of the house had no relationship to how much someone walked.

Atmosphere gets people out and about

It is not the age of the house, in itself, that results in people walking more. Rather, the age of the house is indicative of a development pattern. Older residences are more likely to be in urban areas where there are shops, sidewalks, and more people - all factors that may encourage people to walk. These all happen to be the same attributes that boosted neighborhood environment scores in the first study.

Exercise your options

The convenience and necessity of cars in certain areas has not benefited fitness levels. In many neighborhoods, walking to carry out daily activities and errands is not a reasonable option, so exercise must be a planned part of the day. If there are such problems where you live, try to work more steps into your daily routine by parking your car at the far end of the parking lot or taking the stairs to your office instead of the elevator. Or start a walking group with coworkers or neighbors. Simply being aware of the barriers to walking that we, as a society, have created is a first step towards 'walking' around them.

Sources

• Exploring the effect of the environment on physical activity. A study examining walking to work. CL. Craig, RC. Brownson, SE. Cragg,  et al., Am J Prev Med, 2002, vol. 23, pp. 36--43



• The association between urban form and physical activity in US adults. D. Berrigan, RP. Troiano, Am J Prev Med, 2002, vol. 23, pp. 74--79

Related Links
Forecast Says, Nice Weather and Exercise
Are You a Stroller or a Power Walker?
Keep on Walking
To quickly access additional accurate information on this and other nutrition-related topics, visit Tufts University's Nutrition Navigator

Please take a moment to give us your comments. For questions about Health matters you may check our "Questions & Answers" Portal and Service.