Car-driven Society Poses Risk to Americans’ Health
A June 1, 2009 article in the Reuters online newspaper. Researchers have found that the habit of driving everywhere is bad for the health of Americans. The article says:
The more you drive, the less you walk. Walking provides exercise without really trying. Ideally, people should take 10,000 steps a day to maintain wellness, according to James Hill, professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado.
But for those who only walk from their home to the car and from their car to an office and back again, that figure can sink to only 1,000 steps. A car culture forces people to make time to exercise and driving long distances reduces the time available to work out. Lawrence Frank of the University of British Columbia was able to quantify the link between the distance people drive and their body weight:
Every additional 30 minutes spent in a car each day translates into a 3 percent greater chance of being obese. People who live in neighborhoods with a mix of shops and businesses within easy walking distance are 7 percent less likely to be obese.
For your health – walk more and bicycle more.
Try it; you may like it. About a year ago I decided to start biking to work – about 5 miles each way – in order to get more excercise. This was not instead of driving because I already was taking the bus. I thought I would try for twice a week. But before long I was biking every day with a decent weather forecast. I could leave when I wanted instead of on a schedule, and it turned out to be faster than the bus. I was invigorated when I got to the office. In short, a bicycle = freedom! And there was another unexpected benefit: it changed the way I drive – for the better, I believe. I am now much more conscious of bicyclists and the challenges they face on busy streets.