"To investigate, researchers analyzed smartphone data from between 2013 and 2016 for two million people, including more than 5,000 people who moved among more than 1,600 U.S. cities. Tim Althoff, a computer scientist at the University of Washington, and his colleagues found that after relocating to more walkable cities, people took about 1,100 more steps a day, equivalent to 11 minutes of extra daily walking."
"What's more intriguing is that these additional steps were part of brisk walksphysical activity that improves health and could contribute to a lower risk of death all around. Meanwhile, the data showed, people who moved between similarly walkable cities didn't change their activity level. The findings suggest built environments, rather than personal choice alone, might affect not just the amount but the intensity of the exercise their inhabitants get."
Smartphone data from 2013–2016 for two million people, including over 5,000 individuals who moved among more than 1,600 U.S. cities, were analyzed. Relocating to more walkable cities corresponded to an increase of about 1,100 steps per day, roughly 11 minutes of extra walking. Those added steps were typically brisk, qualifying as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that improves health and may lower mortality risk. Moves between similarly walkable cities produced little change in activity. Results indicate built environments can influence both the amount and intensity of residents' exercise. A switch to Chicago-level walkability would add about 443 steps per day and 24 minutes weekly of moderate-to-vigorous activity.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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