The decline of activity — and its effects

Everybody knows that simple exercise is an effective weapon in the
fight against weight gain and obesity. And almost everybody knows
that one of the easiest ways to get exercise is by taking a walk.

But for Americans, a recent article in Time magazine reveals,
walking has become an increasingly rare practice. The article
explains why. It also includes statistics that highlight how very
important walking can be as a contributor not only to our physical
fitness and fight against fat, but to our overall health.

The June 7 Time story begins by explaining that walking began to
diminish following the growth of suburbs during the second half of
the 20 th century. Cities shrank in population and construction
spread out over the countryside. The automobile became the only way
to get around. It replaced urban forms of transportation: the
streetcar, the city bus — and travel by putting one foot in front of
the other.

That includes not only walking directly from Point A to Point B.
Moving within a city by bus or subway also required some walking at
either end of the trip. But when Americans acquired cars, suddenly
every destination was no farther away on foot than the closest
parking lot.

Obesity and hypertension

This change has had an impact on more than just our traveling
habits. The Time article cites research on how the loss of walking
as a form of transportation has affected our health. One study
compared the results of physical exams on residents of suburban
versus urban areas. Test subjects who live in downtown Manhattan —
in spite of its reputation as a high-stress environment — actually
registered lower blood pressure levels than those who live in a
midwestern suburb. The latter were 29% more likely to have high
blood pressure (hypertension). One difference? Manhattanites still
use walking as a daily means of travel.

Another study investigated the lifestyle habits of Atlanta
residents. It revealed a startling relationship between time spent
driving in a car and walk activity. The research found that in a
daily routine, every hour in a car adds an additional 6% to the
chance of becoming obese. And the reverse is also true: every
kilometer walked per day decreases the chance of obesity by 5%.

The trend continues

This mindset against walking is being passed along to the young. The
Time article reports that the overwhelming majority of American
children live within one mile of their school. Yet today only 17% of
our kids get there on foot. Most are transported by bus or driven by
their parents.

The reason, clearly, can't be to save time. At a normal pace, a
person can walk a mile in about 15 to 20 minutes. Waiting for pickup
at the bus stop, or battling traffic in a car, is not going to
reduce the time spent commuting by any significant amount.

The disappearance of this simple and accessible form of exercise
seems destined to continue into the next generation.

What to do about it?

What can we do about the decrease in walking — the loss of one of
the most effective means of keeping fit and healthy? One answer is
to find ways to incorporate a walk into our daily lives.

Another helpful approach is to find a means of making every step
count. If we can't walk everywhere the way we used to, at least when
we do step out we can increase the amount of exercise we get with
every pace.

One way to accomplish this is with Nikken CardioStrides™. Their
ergonomically weighted design helps transform daily activity into a
cardiovascular workout. Even a short, 30-minute walk — or just
wearing CardioStrides when running typical errands or doing
housework — can produce additional benefits in terms of exercise.
CardioStrides can be a way to help bring walking back into our
lives.

More Information:

renne.jubenville@...

http://www.e-nikken.com/cardiostrides/