Via Streetsblog, there is a new study examining factors influencing childhood obesity.
One of the things examined was built environment and neighborhood. Perhaps
unsurprisingly, the study found a strong connection between the walkability of child's
neighborhood and the likelihood of obesity:
Children who lived in walkable areas, with a child-friendly park nearby and access to
healthy food had 59% lower odds of being obese. Kids that lived in car-dependent
neighbourhoods with more fast food outlets had the highest levels of obesity (16%, which
is the US average). But only 8% of children were obese in walkable areas with access to
more healthy food.
The article summarizing is here:
http://walkonomics.com/blog/2012/04/how-your-post-code-is-as-important-as-y…
And the study is here:
http://www.seattlechildrens.org/Press-Releases/2012/Zip-Code-as-Important-a…
Erik Weber
United We Ride -- Office of Program Management
Federal Transit Administration
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P Please consider the environment before printing this email.