Does Sprawl Cause Obesity?

Is there a link between community design and health?

1 minute read

June 4, 2001, 6:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"San Diego State researchers are testing the admittedly offbeat theory that suburban sprawl is guilty of depriving folks of walking. There is simply no place to walk in the suburbs. The researchers even received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to contrast 32 census tracks in each city in their area. The study includes the number of residents per acre, their height and weight, how close they live to jobs, shopping, etc., their income, and their ethnicity."

Thanks to Tom Collins

Sunday, June 3, 2001 in Tallahassee Democrat

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