People who live in communities with ample active living infrastructure scored high for many aspects of well being
Communities that promote active living by investing in infrastructure like bike lanes, parks, and sidewalks have healthier residents, according to a study of 48 cities by the Gallup Organization.
People who live in the five most active living communities, as ranked by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, had significantly lower obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and rates of depression compared to residents in communities with less active-living amenities. They also reported better exercise habits and lower levels of smoking. Boston and San Francisco garnered the highest scores for walkability, bike-ability, transit infrastructure and accessibility to parks followed by Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Scoring in the bottom of the 48 communities analyzed were Fort Wayne, Ind., Oklahoma City, Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Indiana, Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Tulsa, Okla.
