Walkable neighbourhoods improve social life and health
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Living in a neighbourhood where you can walk can help your health and social life.
Want to make more friends and improve your health? The key may be living in a neighbourhood where everything is close enough to walk. Researchers at the University of California-San Diego say that the public health problem of loneliness and isolation can be fixed by making it easier for people to connect with others in their area.
Loneliness and isolation have been linked to several health problems, such as a higher chance of heart disease, stroke, dementia in older adults, and dying too soon. To deal with this problem, the Surgeon General suggests building a more robust social infrastructure by making neighbourhoods that encourage people to talk to each other and be active.
On the other hand, walkable neighbourhoods encourage people to be active by walking for fun, to get to work, or to run errands. Adults from 32 Seattle, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. neighbourhoods participated in the Neighbourhood Quality of Life Study. The study looked at the data from that study. The results show that communities that are easy to walk around encourage social exchanges, like waving hello, asking for help, or talking with neighbours.
On the other hand, it’s harder for people to get to know each other in neighbourhoods where you have to drive and there are few places to meet. The study shows how important it is for public health to encourage people to connect. When we know how neighbourhood planning affects people, we can work for healthier communities and the well-being of those living in them.
Creating neighbourhoods where people can walk reduces traffic accidents and encourages physical exercise. It also improves the social health of the community. By ensuring areas are easy to get around on foot, we can improve people’s lives and make vibrant places where people feel linked and supported.
The report is in a journal called “Health & Place.”
Walking-friendly neighbourhoods may also help you reach 100.
Living in a neighbourhood where you can walk could help you live to be 100. In 2020, scientists at Washington State University said that where you live can significantly affect how long you live.
They found that people in Washington who live in places where people of all ages live together are much more likely to live to be 100. There is a part for socioeconomic status as well. People who live in wealthy cities and small towns have a better chance of living to 100. Some places are in Washington, like the Seattle and Pullman areas.
Rajan Bhardwaj, who wrote the study, says that the results show that groups with people of different ages are suitable for everyone. “They also support the big push in growing cities to make streets more walkable, which makes it easier for older people to exercise and get to places like grocery stores and medical care.”
