Countrywide natural experiment links built environment to physical activity
8 days ago
- #public health
- #urban planning
- #physical activity
- Built environments that are more walkable can significantly increase physical activity levels across populations.
- A study of 2,112,288 smartphone users in the US found that moving to a more walkable city increased daily steps by 1,100 on average.
- The increase in physical activity was sustained over three months and was predominantly composed of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
- The study found consistent effects across different genders, ages, and BMI values, suggesting broad applicability.
- Improving walkability in US cities to levels like Chicago or Philadelphia could lead to 36 million more Americans meeting aerobic physical activity guidelines.
- The study addresses limitations of previous research by using large-scale, objective data and longitudinal designs.
- Findings suggest that changes to the built environment can be a powerful complement to individual-level interventions for increasing physical activity.