Behavior Change and Health News
New Study Finds Link Between Time in the Car and Obesity
A new study uncovers a strong link between the time a person spends driving and his or her risk for obesity. People have a 3% greater chance of being obese for every additional 30 minutes they spend in a car each day. The same study found that people who live in neighborhoods with businesses within walking distance are 7% less likely to be obese, lowering their relative risk of obesity by 35%.
The study of 10,500 people in and around Atlanta, Georgia, is the first to record a relationship among neighborhood type, weight, and behavior at the neighborhood level by using data on land use. Living in a more compact community is related to more walking and less driving, and those who walk more weigh less. Lawrence Frank, the study’s primary author, says, “These strong results indicate that where we live really can make a difference in our health.”
The researchers found that each additional kilometer a person walks is associated with a 5% reduction in the likelihood of being obese. More than 90% of the people in the study reported no walking at all. People spend more than an hour per day in their cars on average. The researchers suggest that tripling the number of shops and other businesses located near homes could have a positive effect on obesity rates.
Mr. Frank and his colleagues first presented their results at the Time-ABC News Obesity Summit in June. The complete findings will be published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Active Living Every Day encourages sedentary adults to address their barriers to physical activity—inadequate walking areas or recreation facilities, no time to be active, being uncomfortable with doing physical activity in public—and teaches them realistic ways to overcome these obstacles. Our behavior change philosophy addresses the everyday struggles that get in the way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Trained facilitators guide participants through learning activities that give them realistic options for increasing their level of physical activity and improving their health. For more information, please contact Active Living Partners at 1-800-747-4457 ext 2522.
Sources
American College of Sports Medicine. Urban residents need higher quality physical activity resources. News release. June 2, 2004. www.acsm.org
International Council on Active Aging. New study shows time spent behind the wheel linked to obesity. ICAA In the News. Vol 4, Issue 18. June 2004. www.icaa.cc
The University of British Columbia. New study shows time spent behind the wheel linked to obesity. Media release. May 31, 2004. www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca
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