/ /

Walkable Cities Create Hot Bodies

August 2, 2008 at 4:40 PM | by | Comment (1)

In the latter part of the twentieth century, America became suburbanized, with car-based communities replacing urban areas as the desired places to live. Here, Victor Ozols explores a recent trend toward recapturing what we lost when the superhighways were built.

I've lived in New York a fairly long time now, but I still remember what it was like to come here as a visitor. I was always amazed at the amount of walking people did, and after a long day of sightseeing I'd collapse on my sister's futon to rest my weary legs. But no matter how tired I felt, I enjoyed being someplace where a car was completely unnecessary, and I vowed to live here one day. After all, I grew up in the suburbs, and didn't like always having to drive or get a ride from someone just to meet up with friends or go to a store.

It turns that by moving to the big city, I made a healthy choice. A recent report out of the University of Utah states that people who live in older, densely populated areas are skinnier than those in suburban areas where a car is the primary mode of transportation. According to the authors of the study, places with "narrow streets, tree-shaded sidewalks, and useful destinations like corner stores" provide people with all the incentive they need to get moving, if only to buy Cheetos from that corner store. Now that cities are hot again, I wonder if America's collective waistline might finally begin to slim down.

I've grown so fond of living in a walkable place that I often try to arrange vacations to walkable destinations as well, where a rental car and the gas it guzzles are two expenses I don't have to worry about. After all, you can get a better look at a place when you're on foot, you can pop into any shop or restaurant without having to look for parking, and you can drink as much as you feel like drinking without worrying about putting your life at risk just to get back to the hotel.

Location is everything, of course, so if you're planning a trip to a walkable city like Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, or Chicago, consult a map and make sure your hotel is in the thick of the action. Then lace up your walking shoes and sally forth on foot, getting fitter with every step.

Related Stories:
· Walkable Neighborhoods Keep the Pounds Off [U.S. News and World Report]
· D.C. Region Named Most Walkable In U.S. [msnbc]
· Walking Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Victor Ozols]

Comment (1)

Post a Comment

Return to » Walkable Cities Create Hot Bodies


Walking in LA

That was one of the biggest hurdles for me moving from SF to LA: the non-walking aspect of LA.

So got my apartment near work, and continue to walk. It's not NY or SF or even Chicago, but close enough to various stores to walk where I need to and only use Zipcar when I need to get somewhere that's a little further (or, well, too heavy to carry).

One problem: no 24-hour bodega at every corner.

jspepper on August 4, 2008 at 1:31 PM #Permalink

Return to » Walkable Cities Create Hot Bodies

Join the conversation!

Not a member? .
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy (Revised 08/01/2011). © Condé Nast Digital. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast Digital.
Ad Choices