UCLA public health experts say poorer neighborhoods lack access, outdoor amenities What are the societal factors that influence health? When Dr. Richard Jackson asks this question, the response often includes some combination of economics, education and culture. Rarely does he hear the one he is looking for: the physical environment of one’s neighborhood. “If it’s…
Martin Gibala, professor, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University. There are no more excuses for being out of shape. Researchers at McMaster University have found that short, intense bursts of stair climbing, which can be done virtually anywhere, have major benefits for heart health. The findings negate the two most common excuses of couch potatoes: no…
Michael Chernow, an exercise buff and the owner of the NoLIta seafood restaurant Seamore’s, started a weekly workout class available to his 40-odd employees soon after the restaurant opened in 2015. Every Wednesday at 9 a.m., about 10 to 15 staff members of Seamore’s Fit Squad meet for either an indoor cycling class or for…
Healthy city living is about more than eliminating food deserts and boosting access to healthcare. It also means the ability to safely ride your bike down the street, breathe clean air and not have to choose between paying the rent or buying dinner. A two-year analysis from Maryland-based de Beaumont Foundation’s CityHealth project sized up…
Anyone who has celebrated a 65th birthday can say she’s been around the block once or twice. Judith Jaffe has been around hers nearly 100,000 times. Four days each week, Ms. Jaffe goes for a run on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her route is simple. As soon as she exits her building on…
The evidence is crystal clear: There’s no pill with as many positive effects as a dose of the outdoors. People who regularly get outside have lower rates of conditions ranging from diabetes to depression, and are more likely to seek treatment and follow through with it. In this article, we’ll discuss: The imperative for more…
“Software engineer” might sound like a sedentary role, but it doesn’t have to be. Janice Lan schedules walking meetings to break the sitting habit. “Walking meetings are preferable for one-on-ones because it actually gives you a break from staring at a computer screen,” says Lan, a software engineer at Sift Science, which develops machine learning technology…
After neighborhood sidewalks, shopping centers are the most popular places in the U.S. to go for a stroll. At 7 in the morning inside the Mall of America, capitalism sleeps. There are rows of kiosks with metal grates latched shut. Zamboni-like machines polish the floors. The crowds of shoppers—enough people on any given day, it’s…
This article is from the “A View From … ” section of the Winter 2017 issue of Rails to Trails magazine. It has been republished here in an extended format. When the snow hits, many trail enthusiasts stow their running shoes or tuck their bikes into the back of the garage, missing an opportunity to enjoy…
Between 2005 and 2014, more than 45,000 people were struck and killed by cars while walking in the United States. In the two years since, walking has only grown more dangerous. A new report from Smart Growth America, a D.C.-headquartered advocacy group that’s anti-sprawl, highlights the most dangerous metro areas in the country for pedestrians,…
