Media Release | May 31, 2004

New Study Shows Time Spent Behind the Wheel Linked to Obesity

A new study shows a strong link between time spent driving and obesity -- every additional 30 minutes a person spends in a car translates into a three per cent greater chance of being obese. The same study finds that people who live in neighbourhoods with a mix of shops and businesses within easy walking distance are seven per cent less likely to be obese, lowering their relative risk of obesity by 35 per cent.

The study, published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, is being released at the Time-ABC News Obesity Summit supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia June 2 through 4. The study is the first to document links between neighbourhood type, weight and behaviour at the neighbourhood level using objective land use data. It tracked the body mass index and behaviour of more than 10,500 people in the Atlanta region while assessing their neighbourhoods.

“We found that an average white male living in a compact community with nearby shops and services is expected to weigh 10 pounds less than his counterpart in a low-density residential-only subdivision,” says Lawrence Frank, associate professor at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, and the study’s primary author. “These strong results indicate that where we live really can make a difference in our health.”

Living in a more compact community was linked to more walking and less driving, and those who walked more, weighed less. The study found that each additional kilometre a person walks is associated with about a five per cent reduction in the likelihood of being obese. But more than 90 per cent reported no walking at all, and the average time spent in a car was more than one hour. The study controlled for age, gender, ethnicity, income and education.

The paper suggests that tripling the number of shops and other businesses near homes could have the same relationship with obesity levels as magically making everyone in Atlanta five years younger. The main findings held true for all groups, but the study found significant differences in obesity levels by ethnicity and gender.

This analysis is part of a larger study known as SMARTRAQ, sponsored by Georgia Tech, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The paper’s co-authors include Martin Andresen of UBC and Dr. Tom Schmid of the CDC.

Dr. Frank will present full information on the study’s findings at a news conference on Thursday, June 3rd, at 9:15 a.m. in Williamsburg, Virginia. Reporters can call in to 918.583.3098, access code 971941. The Journal article will be posted at http://www.ajpm-online.net.

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Contact

Erica Smishek
UBC Public Affairs
Tel: 604.822.3213
Cell: 604.828.3867
E-mail: erica.smishek@ubc.ca