Nice-looking neighbourhoods could improve exercise levels: Global study

How you see your neighbourhood could contribute to whether or not you take a walk or ride a bike, according to a new study.

Scott Lear, a health sciences professor at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and part of an international research team, says people who walk and commute this way are more likely to be in visually nicer neighbourhoods.

“Those who are most likely to walk more than 150 minutes a week for commuting or leisure purposes reported their neighbourhoods had more desirable features. The likelihood of cycling and walking was associated with land use mix-diversity (amenities such as stores or parks within a 20-minute walk), street connectivity (number of three and four-way intersections) and safety from crime,” a news release from SFU explained.

The global study spanned across various countries from differing income statuses, including Canada, China, Sweden, Argentina, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe.

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People aged 35 to 70 participated in the study and spanned 350 urban communities.

Lear says the study looked into how where you live could contribute to health, as getting outside is a popular form of exercise.

“Cycling and walking are two excellent ways to weave exercise into daily life and meet those fitness goals outlined in many New Year’s resolutions,” Lear explained.

“We sought to understand how factors in the built environment can either promote or discourage a person from engaging in these forms of physical activity,” he added.

Lear says across the world the majority of adults in some countries, including Canada, aren’t spending enough time exercising.

“Levels of physical inactivity are rising globally and in high-income countries such as Canada, over 70 per cent of adults are physically inactive,” he said.

“One in four adults do not meet the globally recommended activity level of at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity and this trend has negative consequences for our health.”