WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- People living in U.S. neighborhoods considered walkable are 2.4 times more likely to get enough physical activity, researchers reported Wednesday.
The study involved 350 adults in Atlanta and included the establishment of a walkability index that assesses a neighborhood based on a mix of shops, homes, schools, residential density and connecting streets.
Researchers found 38 percent of study participants who lived in the most walkable neighborhoods met the government's recommended activity levels. Only 18 percent of people in the least walkable neighborhoods met the standard of 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. All study participants wore accelerometers, which measure total activity.
"What is remarkable is that the most walkable neighborhoods in this study are actually quite low density," wrote study leader Dr. Larry Frank of the University of British Columbia. "This shows that walkable neighborhoods can be achieved for most Americans."
The study is part of a special issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on the relationship between the environment and health.
