Communities with the greatest investment in supporting active lifestyles yield residents who do significantly better in key aspects of well-being.
Across 48 communities studied nationwide, residents in the five highest-ranked active living communities have, on average, significantly lower obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and rates of depression than do residents of communities with comparatively little active living infrastructure. They also report better exercise habits and lower levels of smoking.
Five lowest active living communities
Difference
Difference
%
%
Pct. pts.
%
Obesity
23.9
30.1
-6.2
-20.6
Diabetes
9.5
12.7
-3.1
-24.6
High blood pressure (current)
21.5
26.8
-5.3
-19.8
High cholesterol (current)
15.6
16.9
-1.4
-8.0
Depression (current)
8.6
12.2
-3.6
-29.3
Smoking
14.9
20.8
-6.0
-28.6
Exercise (at least 30 minutes for three or more days per week)
52.3
49.7
2.5
5.1
Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index
These findings are based in part on 149,938 interviews conducted as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index from Jan. 2, 2014, through Dec. 30, 2015.
For this report, Gallup and Healthways created an Active Living Score for 48 medium to large Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) across the U.S. by analyzing metropolitan infrastructure data — including walkability, bike-ability, transit infrastructure and park infrastructure — based on each community’s Walkscore® and ParkScore®. Scores for all four active living metrics […]
