Walking Rates in America Improve, Still Pitiful
There's a new report out from the Centers for Disease Control that finds nearly 40 percent of American adults had not walked for a ten-minute period in the previous seven days. Yikes.
Believe it or not, that's an improvement over the 2005 results, when just over half of all Americans had found the time and energy for a ten-minute walk in the course of a regular week.
Could this somehow be tied to the fact that in this country we've developed a transportation system where $1.7 billion urban interchanges are a matter of course, but where Congress takes aim at a much less expensive national program to help children not get killed while walking to school?
Yes, according to Walk Arlington's Commuter Page Blog:
Despite the encouraging news, experts conclude that far too many people are still not getting enough exercise to improve their health -- less than half of U.S. adults get the recommended amount of physical activity of 2.5 hours a week. The CDC says that walkable, pedestrian-inclusive communities are key to encouraging Americans to travel by foot. The report encourages employers and state and local governments to support walkability -- and fitness -- by developing new sidewalks, paths, and other safe places that encourage people to walk for work, errands, and recreation.
This news comes on the heels of another CDC report containing alarming new data on U.S. obesity rates. There is not a state in the union where less than 20 percent of the population is clinically obese. The car-oriented South and Midwest regions of the country ranked worst.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Systemic Failure says the controversy over Progressive Insurance's handling of a fatal auto collision highlights just how high the stakes are for drivers -- much higher than many states require insurance for. Missouri Bicycle Federation features a small town with high standards for bike-friendliness. And Bike Portland wonders if a mayoral candidate's bad driving record will be a liability to his campaign.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
What is the Life of a Dead Pedestrian Worth?
A cop laughed that a normal person is only worth $11,000 — and that figure was partly due to his racism, but also how little we value the lives of people on foot.
Monday’s Headlines: ‘What is Up With All These Flip-Flops, Mayor?’ Edition
It's the same old story with this mayor and his chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Plus other news.
Why Sustainable Transportation Advocates Need to Talk About Long COVID
Covid-19 transformed many U.S. cities' approach to sustainable transportation forever. But how did it transform the lives of sustainable transportation advocates who developed lasting symptoms from the disease?
Analysis: ‘Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program’ is a Failure By All Measures
The Department of Transportation wants the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program to simply expire in part because it did not dramatically improve safety among these worst-of-the-worst drivers and led to a tiny number of vehicle seizures.
School Bus Driver Kills Cyclist in Boro Park, 24th Bike Death of 2023
Luis Perez-Ramirez, 44, was biking south on Fort Hamilton Parkway just before 3:15 p.m. when he was struck a by school bus driver making a right turn.
