MEASURING THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF SPRAWL: A NATIONAL ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE

This paper describes the results of a study undertaken to ascertain the effects of urban sprawl on obesity, and on chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The study found that people who lived in sprawl areas weighed more, and had higher blood pressure than people living in urban areas. It also found that even those individuals in sprawl areas who walked for exercise did not fare as well as those in urban areas. It is surmised that urban dwellers walked more routinely when doing errands and undertaking shopping expeditions; and that this walking probably surpassed the amount of those sprawl dwellers who walked for exercise. No significant effect was found on diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and it is hypothesized that those conditions depend more heavily on heredity.

• Record URL:
  http://smartgrowth.umd.edu/assets/ewingmccann_2003.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Surface Transportation Policy Project

  1100 17th Street NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • McCann, B A
  • Ewing, R
• Publication Date: 2003-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 48 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular diseases; City planning; Diabetes; Diseases and medical conditions; Driving; Health; Health hazards; Impacts; Obesity; Physical fitness; Shopping; Suburbs; Urban areas; Urban sprawl; Walking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Exercise; Physical activity
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00963109
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 8 2003 12:00AM