Link Between Sprawl and Obesity

A recent study that compared development patterns to the health of over 200,000 people in 448 counties in major metropolitan areas around the U.S. found that

car-dependent suburbanites suffer from obesity and high blood pressure at a greater rate than city-dwellers. The report, “Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and Morbidity,” was published in the

American Journal of Health Promotion. Smart Growth America and the Surface Transportation Policy Project have published a companion report, “Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl,” documenting much of the data behind the original study. Both reports are available online at www.smartgrowthamerica.com.