A new study has found that individuals living in neighborhoods having access to outdoor activities and parks have a reduced chance of suffering from obesity or diabetes because the neighborhood residents are more active. Data shows that more than 11% of the U.S. population has diabetes with almost one-half of adults also suffering from obesity.
Gillian L. Booth, colead author of the study, stated that the built environment influenced the levels of physical activity an individual undertook, through the promotion of active forms of transportation, such as cycling and walking, over passive ones, such as driving a car. The built environment comprises of human-made structures that provide individuals with working, recreational and living spaces. Such an environment includes public transportation, buildings, roads, neighborhoods, shops, parks, restaurants and bike paths. The physical environs humans construct may affect their health.
Booth explained that changing choices of transportation for local residents could encourage more individuals to take part in physical activities during their everyday routine without the need for structured workout programs.
For their research, the scientists reviewed a number of studies focused on the effects of built environments on human health, which led to the discovery that activity-friendly, walkable neighborhoods and cities were linked to a reduced risk of diabetes and obesity.
A population-based research paper the researchers reviewed, which had more than 32,000 participants, discovered that the rates of obesity among individuals living in less-walkable areas and those living in neighborhoods that were highly walkable was 53% vs. 43%. A separate study which had over 1 million participants also found that prediabetes incidence was higher among individuals living within areas with low walkability.
In addition to this, another study, which had about 1.6 million adult participants, found that individuals living in low-walkable areas had a 30%–50% higher possibility of developing diabetes, in comparison to those living in highly walkable zones.
In their report, the researchers noted that high numbers of fast-food eateries and air pollution could significantly decrease the benefits of residing in walkable neighborhoods, as they were risk factors for diabetes. Booth argued that opportunities to participate in active transportation forms and policies to promote healthier eating habits were needed, adding that designing neighborhoods which had effective and safe options for public transit, walking paths and cycling infrastructure could decrease traffic-induced pollution.
This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Its findings were published in “Endocrine Reviews.” The study was co-led and co-authored by Gillian L. Booth and Nichola Howell, both of the University of Toronto.
For some people, moving to communities that favor engaging in physical activity may not have happened soon enough to prevent the onset of diabetes and other metabolic conditions. In such a case, the interventions manufactured by companies such as Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) can come in handy to ensure a better quality of life despite a diagnosis of diabetes.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NMRD
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