02/09/05

A study of metro Atlantans released Wednesday concludes where you live could determine if you meet the federal government's guideline for exercise.

People are more likely to get 30 minutes of exercise at least five days per week if they live in a compact community where walking around is easy, said Lawrence Frank, co-author of the study and a professor at the University of British Columbia.

"If you choose neighborhoods that provides convenient, safe access to shops and services, you're more likely to get the recommended amount of physical activity that is required for your health and well being," said Frank, a former professor at Georgia Tech.

People who live in cities — with a mix of housing, offices and retail space — are 2.4 times more likely to get the necessary physical activity than their suburban neighbors.

The study, which appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, said 38 percent of the participants who lived in the most pedestrian friendly neighborhoods met the recommendations, while 18 percent who live in the least walkable places got their half-hour of exercise.

New federal guidelines released last month suggest at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week to reduce the risk of chronic disease and 60 minutes of activity daily to manage body weight.

Data comes from 357 Atlantans who wore pedometers for two days in 2001 and 2002. The study, called SMARTRAQ, is part of a larger travel behavior and land-use study based on 8,000 Atlanta area households. Participants were an average age of 43.8, and 55.7 percent were female. Frank said the study controlled for gender, age, education and ethnicity.Earlier studies derived from SMARTRAQ data was self reported and looked at transportation, Frank said.

Diana Wheeler, who directs community development in Alpharetta, counters that the ability to walk to and around the workplace is as important a factor in fitness as where people live. "Subdivisions are important, but we're more focused on the work environment because people spend two-thirds of their waking hours away from home," she said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority funded SMARTRAQ.