America Walking More....And Less

Nate Berg discusses the oddly conflicting trends reported in a new study on the walking habits of America's adults published last week by the CDC. The good news is that more Americans are walking a minimum of 10 minutes at a time, once a week, than they did in 2005. And even though 38% were unable to meet that dismal threshold in 2010, 44% were unable five years earlier.  

However, as Berg notes, "even while more adults are walking, the total amount they're walking
seems to be falling. According to the report, the average time walkers
spent walking dropped from about 15 minutes a day in 2005 to about 13
minutes a day in 2010."

With walking able to help prevent early death and chronic diseases such as
coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and some
types of cancer, the CDC advises: "To sustain increases in the prevalence of walking, communities
can implement evidence-based strategies such as creating or enhancing
access to places for physical activity, or using design and land use
policies and practices that emphasize mixed-use communities and
pedestrian-friendly streets."