It has long been known that walking is excellent for people's physical well-being, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular health and weight control. What wasn't fully known was which individual factors in walkable neighborhoods contributed to health.
That's why Professor Fatemeh Saeidi-Rizi and Ph.D. student Musab Wedyan from Michigan State University decided to figure out what these individual factors might be so they could share ways to improve cities' walkability with policymakers.
Saeidi-Rizi told the Great Lakes Echo, "We thought to go and look at some areas and work with numbers to bring more proof for policymakers, for people who can have an impact on making cities more walkable."
The study found that the density of street intersections was the top factor in improving weight control and obesity outcomes. The size of city blocks was the next most significant factor that affected these.
Other walkability-related health influences included the distance to public transport stops, the diversity of businesses in an area, and, notably, race and socioeconomic status.
Though the data for the study was a bit limited, the results are still excellent news, as finding out how the walkability of a city affects public health could encourage city-makers to adopt more pedestrian-friendly designs.
Encouraging areas to build more intersections, diverse neighborhoods, pedestrian walkways, green spaces, bike lanes, and walking-friendly infrastructure could have a profound effect on the health of people everywhere.
Besides the obvious physical health benefits walking provides, the study found that more walkable cities had positive impacts on mental health, as well, which isn't surprising considering more people walking around can foster a closer sense of community.
Cities designed to encourage walking benefit the environment, too, as reducing vehicle usage cuts down on air and noise pollution. Fewer tires on the road also means a reduction in microplastics produced, which greatly benefits the air, soil, and water nearby.
Though hopeful this study will encourage more city planners to focus on pedestrian infrastructure, Saeidi-Rizi acknowledged the U.S. still has a way to go in creating areas with more walkability.
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Definitely 🥰 The professor explained to Great Lakes Echo, "Even though they are trying to move toward walkability, it's still a long way to get there."
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