Are People Living in Walkable Areas Healthier and More Satisfied with Life?

Abstract

Are people who live in more walkable areas healthier and more satisfied with life? This study investigates that question by using the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, the largest telephone survey on health in the US (302,841 respondents from 989 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas [MSA]; 177,524 respondents from 703 MSAs had complete data). Using multilevel random coefficient modeling, we found that people living in walkable areas reported being generally healthier than people living in less walkable areas. In addition, aside from higher self-reported health, people living in walkable areas also had a lower body mass index (BMI). However, contrary to our prediction, people in more walkable areas were less satisfied with their lives than people in less walkable areas after controlling for various individual-level variables (age, gender, race, education, marital status, income, and unemployment). People who live in walkable areas are healthier but not happier than those living in less walkable areas.

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