AUSTIN: A recent study from a university suggests a ‘walkable’ community means less driving, more physical activity and social interactions result when people live in a “pedestrian-oriented, activity-friendly development”.

These types of communities, the study’s authors conclude, could be considered “preventative” health care.

In “A Retrospective Study on Changes in Residents’ Physical Activities, Social Interactions, and Neighborhood Cohesion After Moving to a Walkable Community,” lead researcher architecture professor Xuemei Zhu and co-author Chanam Lee studied a transit-oriented development.

The development has a mix of high-density residences and small businesses, 140 acres of parks, 13 miles of hike and bike paths and sidewalks lining interconnected streets. It also has 25 percent affordable housing units mixed with market-rate units. The researchers used data from 449 surveys of residents, asking about their physical activity and sense of community compared to previous residences.

The study found that 40 per cent of the residents increased walking of biking after moving to the community, 65 per cent noted an increase in physical activity and 48 per cent reported improved health…

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