Suburbanites without access to recreation paths: pack on the pounds - Tip-Off

Parks & Recreation, Oct, 2003

People who live amid suburban sprawl, where driving is often the only transportation option, are likely to weigh six pounds more than their counterparts in less auto-centric locales, according to studies published in August in the American Journal of Public Health and the American Journal of Health promotion.

The study authors said their findings show that urban planners and zoning commissions need to consider public health when designing neighborhoods.

"How you build things influences health in a much more pervasive way than I think most health professionals realize," said Dr. Richard Jackson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The studies also found that sprawl presents an additional disincentive for residents to be active--pedestrians and bicyclists are more likely to be killed by cars in the U.S. than in Europe, owing to more attention paid in Europe to the needs of non-motorized travelers.

The studies were released as Congress debated funding for the Transportation Enhancements program. The program helps to fund the sorts of paths shown by the studies to help suburban residents be more active in a safe environment. For more on Transportation Enhancements, see Advocacy Update on p. 8.