Are our neighborhoods making us fat?
I just read the most thought provoking article on why Americans (and most of the rest of the world) are so much heavier than they were before 1950. Neighborhoods built back then were geared for people who walked. They have tree lined streets and shops close by for the everyday necessities — so people walk. They walk for enjoyment, to shop and to visit each other. They wouldn’t consider getting in a car to get to a shop 1/2 mile away.
Is it that simple? I think so! Quite a few years go I went to Melbourne, Australia to meet the man who would become my husband. He lived in an apartment in the city and while he was at work, I went shopping. Every day I would walk to the supermarket to get what we needed for dinner and then I’d walk to a park or some other place for sightseeing. Not only didn’t I diet, but you could say that I ate my way through Melbourne for those 4 weeks. We didn’t have any scales so I kept moaning about how much weight I must be putting on. I had dessert every night and sometimes I’d have a snack earlier in the day.
When I got back to Orlando I timidly got on the scales and I’d lost TWENTY POUNDS. I had convinced myself that I had brought “big clothes” that masked how much weight I was gaining.
So, if I put my experience back then into this argument, Ken Smith, the man who did the study for the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, was right.
When we decided to make our arrangment permanent we moved to a sprawling neighborhood where there was noplace to walk to and I put those 20 pounds right back on.
Perhaps governments around the world could address the obesity issue just by redefining how our communities are built. Insist that neighborhoods are designed as small communities where walking is encouraged by making it pleasant.
I think if I move again, I’ll keep this in mind! I never want to be fat again.
July 30th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Cities, such as Charlotte, NC are building “all inclusive” neighborhoods that have grocery stores, other various shops, restaurants, bars, pools, walking trails and all that built in. They really started doing it as a way to stop urban sprawl. I think more and more cities will begin to take on these types of neighborhoods, especially with gas prices the way they are and everyone saying it won’t change anytime soon.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I think that this is a pretty on point observation. Your neighborhood CAN help to make you fat, and that can also manifest itself in different ways.
I live in New York City, a place where you walk any and everywhere, if you’re not on the train. But in your own neighborhood, you walk to the stores and to run your household errands.
If you live in a poorer neighborhood, the quality of the food and what’s available tends to be less. In some places, they have no healthy food stores, or even fruit stands.
I know this first hand.
Fast food, pizza and Chinese food are the most readily available foodstuffs to be found.
And if you notice, the majority of people in these areas are part of the obesity epidemic.
In a more upscale, even middle/upper class neighborhood you will find organic food stores and products, fresher produce and specialty stores, vitamin and health supplement stores, more choices of cuisine and far better quality/selection of food in the stores and supermarkets.
So, yes, where you live (or don’t live) does make a difference and can make you fat.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Nice and informative post..didn’t realize that the neighborhood played a big role in the way we diet..eat..etc Anyway, I included your blog in the first edition of my blog’s “blogs of the week” where I feature different blogs with an excerpt of their articles. So as long you post nice articles like this one, I’ll be posting it also in my blog for others to see.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
duh!
;P
August 19th, 2008 at 9:10 am
I notice the same myself. When I lived in the city, my weight goes down or at least remain stable. When I moved to the suburbs, I have a harder time maintaining my weight. In the suburbs everything was spread out more, hence walking is not feasible.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
We don’t have sidewalks either where we live in Texas, but I just walk next to the curb on the street. A lot of people do that here.
I love to walk! That’s my favorite form of exercise. However, I’ve been having trouble with an enlarged nerve in my left foot plus my ankle swells, too. So I haven’t been able to go for long walks the past 2 1/2 months. I felt so much better when I was able to!!