A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found that individuals who feel safe in their neighborhoods are more likely than others to exercise.
The 12,767 research subjects were chosen from various neighborhoods in Maryland, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Neighborhood safety seemed to have the most impact for persons over the age of 65. Those who reported living in safer neighborhoods were almost 25% more likely to exercise than those who reported that their neighborhoods were not safe. Study authors neighborhood safety was more important for older adults because walking was their main physical activity.
CDC epidemiologist Dexter Kimsey called for more research on the impact of perceived safety of physical activity levels.
