Build them and we will walk?
Nearly one in four people in the Atlanta area are exercise enthusiasts stuck in neighborhoods without sidewalks or other walking amenities, according to a study that illustrates a problem for many Americans.
Researchers said the findings point to the need for more exercise-friendly places to live.
"The bottom line is the built environment really does matter to health," said Lawrence Frank, a University of British Columbia researcher who led the study.
Walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods have sidewalks leading to nearby shops, restaurants or other destinations. They are built in a way that makes it easier to walk and get to buses and trains. Many are older neighborhoods, located in more urban areas.
Frank is among a group of scientists who have shown that people who live in walkable neighborhoods tend to weigh less than people who live in more isolated and car-dependent areas.
Americans are fat and unfit because our neighborhoods aren't walkable? Sure, I believe that. People can walk anywhere. I had an pedometer once and used it to calculate that I walk two miles a day just at work.
Comments
Our neighborhoods are VERY walkable...with caveats.
1) You should be armed in some areas of town.
2) NEVER walk after 2AM...anywhere in town.
3) NEVER use a sidewalk on the SOUTH side.
4) Never walk when you can steal a car or bike.
It USED to be a city where you could walk ANYWHERE...then again, it used to be like that in almost EVERY city.
B.G.
If you have a little store within about 1/4 or 1/2 mile of your house, chances are, you'll walk there when you need a few things. (Or, if I can dream a bit -- it'd be nice to have a neighborhood bar). If you don't have any stores within close proximity, you're going to fire up the car even to get a carton of milk.
I suppose I can only speak for myself, though. Maybe most Hoosiers would get in the car even if they had a corner market.