Many factors have contributed to America's obesity crisis, but the design of the built environment has had an undeniable role. A new study shows that living in a smart growth community can increase physical activity among children.
"A group of University of California, Berkeley, researchers wanted to see if neighborhood design, or smart growth planning principles--like mixed land use, walkable neighborhoods, compact housing, and green space--could shape activity and health," writes Sydney Brownstone. "So they measured the activity levels of children in a smart growth community (called the Preserve) compared to activity levels of children in conventional suburban communities in Chino, California."
"After analyzing the results, researchers noted one significant difference: Kids in the smart growth neighborhood showed local activity levels that were 46% higher than those of kids who resided in the ticky-tacky Chino suburbs' rows upon rows of post-war housing."
The study seems to confirm what planners have come to learn, when you design for the movement of cars you inhibit the movement of people.
FULL STORY: Bad Urban Planning Is Why You're Fat
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London-based study ties obesity to sprawl and finds that suburbs have a bigger obesity problem than rural areas.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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