Behavior Change and Health News
Exercise Levels Influenced by Neighborhoods
A recent study conducted by Christopher Browning, an associate professor at Ohio State University, revealed that where people live determines the amount of exercise they get, even more so than individual income levels. Browning, a sociology professor, and his team analyzed data from more than 8,700 people in 373 Chicago neighborhoods.
People who lived in neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty and lower levels of education were less likely than others to engage in physical activity. Also, people who lived in neighborhoods that had women primarily as the heads of the family were also less likely to engage in exercise. Browning stated, “We can’t encourage people to exercise more without looking at the neighborhood environment in which they live. Some people may have the personal resources and desire to exercise but don’t live in a neighborhood in which they feel comfortable to go outside for activities.”
Participants stated several factors that influenced their desire to be physically active in their neighborhoods: the level of trust among neighbors, perceived level of violence in the neighborhood, and beliefs that neighbors help one another. Women’s perceptions of neighborhoods influenced their desire to be physically active more than men’s perceptions. The finding that the connection between neighborhoods and exercise is stronger among women than men could perhaps explain why African American women have higher obesity rates than other demographic groups.
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Source: HeathDay. March 25, 2008. Neighborhood influences exercise levels .
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