Conventional wisdom says that compact, walkable urban developments offer tangible health benefits to their residents, right? Well, now there’s a quantifier to go along with the argument: six pounds.
An article in the Chicago Tribune spotlighted one of perhaps 100 studies conducted nationwide in recent years that investigates the link between obesity and suburban living.
"If my numbers are right, 18 out of 20 studies show significant links between the built environment and obesity," said Reid Ewing, an urban planner who is a professor at the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland.Ewing said his 2003 collaborative study was the first national research to establish a direct association between sprawl -- suburban developments whose only link to other places is busy roads with few sidewalks -- and the health of those who live there.
The weight difference between living in sprawl and living in "walkable" communities: six pounds, he said.
"When you account for [numerous variables], the people living in the most sprawling areas are likely to weigh six pounds more than people in the most compact counties," he said.
Ewing's report coincided with a public-health outcry over obesity, he said, stimulating academic interest in a sprawl-weight link. He estimates that 15 to 20 obesity-sprawl studies have been started since his report.
The article goes on to describe several other studies documenting similar data, including one in Chicago.
Luckily the Windy City’s more progressive suburbs have embraced the idea of new urbanism. Cities like Arlington Heights, Glenview and Des Plaines all have the right ingredients for sensible growth: dense populations, pedestrian-friendly developments and proximity to transit lines.
With such options available, and with public opinion swinging back to the side of smart growth, the idea of "going somewhere to exercise" is looking more and more antiquated.
