Urban Sprawl Could Be a Cause of Obesity

Health professionals are looking to the government to help solve one of the biggest problems in the United States, obesity, by stopping one of the latest trends, urban sprawl. Developments without adequate sidewalks, long distances to shops and open space, and other socializing areas essentially force residents to drive from place to place, reducing their walking time. Preliminary results by Lawrence Frank, former Georgia Tech professor, indicated that as homes per acre increase from two or fewer to eight or more, residents get 80 percent more moderate activity such as walking.