Walkability
A 2006 article in the Journal of the American Planning Association showed that small increases in rates of walking had a big influence on residents’ health. The authors used a “walkability index” that measured residential density, land use mix, retail floor area, and the presence of streets that connect well rather than meandering. The authors found that a 5 percent increase in an area’s walkability meant residents spent about a half-hour more each week walking or biking to get where they needed to go, and their body mass index was a quarter-point lower. People who do more walking maintain better physical health and lower stress levels. Because they rely less on cars, they help to reduce pollution and lower asthma rates.
Zoning, development and transportation regulations can improve public health by putting housing, workplaces and schools within walking or biking distance of one another, and by creating ample space for parks, paths and sidewalks. To assess the “walkability” of different neighborhoods, Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program aimed at combating obesity, has created an online tool through which users can type in an address and get the "walk score" of the neighborhood. The Walk Score device even displays a map of what is nearby in an effort to encourage more walking for the sake of better personal health and a healthier environment.