Moving to a Walking Friendly Neighborhood is Good for Your Blood Pressure

For most healthy adults, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or a combination of both) every week as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle called My Life CheckTM- Life's Simple 7. A new study has revealed that a walking friendly neighborhood is good for your blood pressure. The study findings suggested that people who moved from a neighborhood that required a vehicle to run errands to one that made walking-errands convenient were significantly less likely to have high blood pressure than people who moved from one low-walkability neighborhood to another low-walkability neighborhood.

Researchers found that people who moved to a walking-friendly neighborhood had a 54% lower risk of high blood pressure than people who left one walking-unfriendly neighborhood for another.

Lead author Maria Chiu said, "Researchers need to set people up for success by making walking instead of driving the more convenient and enjoyable choice. Urban planners and policymakers can do their part by designing neighborhoods that are more pedestrian-friendly. We did not have detailed dietary data other than fruit and vegetable consumption, which could affect blood pressure."

The research has been presented at the AHA's Scientific Sessions 2015.

Source-ANI