Canadian Researchers Say Neighborhood Conducive to Walking Have Lower Risk of Becoming Obese, Diabetic

Researchers out of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto released the results of a study that suggest they can accurately predict risk levels for obesity and diabetes by what neighborhood you live in.

According to the study conducted at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health, if you live in areas like Bridle Path, Humber Valley and Morningside you have a 33 percent greater risk of being obese or developing diabetes.

So what’s the connection? Well, say the researchers, it’s all about how conducive your neighborhood is to walking.

Suburban areas like the neighborhoods mentioned above are further from goods and services and require a car to reach work, the store etc. Urban areas on the other hand, are more densely populated and people can easily walk or bike to most destinations. This close proximity creates an environment where it’s easier to walk then it is to drive.

“We focused on density and destinations because they’re potentially modifiable,” said co-author Dr. Rick Glazier, research director in the Department of Family and Community Medicine of St. Michael’s Hospital. “Policy makers, planners and public health officials can use either of these measures to inform urban design and improve community health.”

The results really aren’t that surprising. People who walk more are healthier. People, who spend more time being stationary, like when they’re driving a car, are more likely to pack on weight and develop related health disorders like diabetes. This relates to other findings that suggest income level and higher unemployment rates juxtaposed to certain areas can have the same effect.