15 Jul Walk Score and Your Health – It’s More Than Just Convenience

Walking is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to stay healthy.  Believe it or not, a recent study revealed that the average person in a walkable neighborhood weighs 6-10 pounds less than someone in an unwalkable neighborhood.

Does this growing topic of research prove that community / city Walk Scores have a true effect on the health of its inhabitants?

Public health departments are currently using Walk Score data to study the link between sprawl and diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular issues. Cities are using Walk Score ChoiceMaps to measure how many residents can walk to fresh food or parks.

What’s really exciting is that Walk Score has now teamed up with Esri, which will provide healthcare professionals with access to Walk Score data for their patients.

This will essentially help physicians gather data on where patients have lived, along with information about nearby toxins and heart attack rates.

Walk Score data includes:

• Walk Score for every location in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
• Transit Score based on data from hundreds of public transit agencies
• Bike Score for 100+ cities in the U.S. and Canada
• ChoiceMaps that measure access and choice in every city

How important is a city’s or community’s Walk Score to you? Share your comments below!