[Skip to Navigation]
Sign In
Editorial
May 24/31, 2016

Can Walkable Urban Design Play a Role in Reducing the Incidence of Obesity-Related Conditions?

Author Affiliations
  • 1Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
  • 2Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
JAMA. 2016;315(20):2175-2177. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.5635

Most adults in developed countries are too inactive, accumulating on average far less than the recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on at least 5 days every week.1,2 Insufficient walking and low levels of other physical activities are key risk factors for developing chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes,3 and lack of exercise and obesity are significantly associated with reduced life expectancy at 40 years of age.4 Physical inactivity can account for 6% to 10% of all deaths from noncommunicable diseases.5

Add or change institution
×