Posted by kathryn in Lifestyle

A new study shows where you live can influence your health. It’s not surprising news, but this three year study by the University of Melbourne has shown the more fast food outlets and the fewer walking tracks a suburb has, the more unhealthy its residents. Location affects the food residents eat, the amount of exercise they do and their weight.

The report looked at 50 different areas and the food purchasing and exercise habits of about 5,000 residents. The study is the biggest of its kind in Australia, to examine the effects on health of location. As Associate Professor Anna Kavanagh points out, these differences are not just about income:

“It seems that whether you live in a richer or poorer neighbourhood could be a more important factor that your actual individual income,” she says. “Living in low income areas was still important even after we took into account the fact the individual socio-economic position of the people who lived in the areas. That is, living in low socio-economic areas is harmful for both high income and low income households. This suggests there is something in the physical or other characteristics of low income areas that are preventing people from exercising and making healthy eating choices.”

The lower socio-economic areas, not only had fewer walking opportunities and more fast food outlets, but residents also felt the areas were unsafe and had too much traffic and so were less likely to walk.

Dr Carolyn Whitzman, also from the University of Melbourne is investigating local government initiatives to make children more independently mobile. Her project aims to get more 8 – 11 year olds out walking, cycling and playing. She points out that, in Melbourne, “only one third of children walk more than five minutes a day”.

It’s a big problem and needs to be addressed at many different levels. Parents are obviously of key importance in managing the health of children. However, it’s not just about parents – schools, local councils and communities need to also be involved. I’ve already blogged about the steps Somerville have taken in the US, to counter-act childhood obesity. It’s an excellent example of a community-wide programme that makes it easier for residents to move more and eat well.

28 May, 2007