VIDEO: Diabetes and Obesity in Walkable Neighborhoods

Gillian L. Booth, MD, of the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada discusses the prevalence of obesity/overweight and diabetes in areas that are more walkable vs less walkable.

Dr Booth and colleagues examined Canadian health care and census data to estimate changes in these conditions by “walkability index” over a 10-year period. While data suggest obesity/overweight and diabetes are less prevalent in highly walkable neighborhoods, Dr Booth cautions this should be interpreted with caution as the study is ecological.

Reference

Creatore MI, Glazier RH, Moineddin R, et al. Association of neighborhood walkability with change in overweight, obesity, and diabetes. JAMA. 2016;315(20):2211-2220. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.5898.