Fair Lawn News

Coincidences happen for a reason, which is what brings me to write this article. A few days ago I received an email from the editor of fairlawnnews.com reminding me of my deadline for this issue. In addition, he told me recently walked four miles in Manhattan with ease, and wondered why he finds it difficult to do more than half a mile in Fair Lawn. After responding to him, I read an article in a fitness journal on the "walkability" of towns and their relationship to obesity and morbidity. "OK" , I thought. "What a great topic for my next article". And that’s why I’ve titled it "Walkability and Obesity". It caught your eye, didn’t it?

According to the Nov-Dec.2003 issue of "IDEA Health & Fitness Source", there have been important new studies investigating the influences of a community’s physical design

on the overall health of its citizens, especially relating to the "ease of walking and other forms of exercise." Reports in the "American Journal of Public Health" in September and the "American Journal of Health Promotion" found a "direct link between community sprawl and obesity." Simply put, if a community has sidewalks, safe intersections, safe streets, and places to walk to, it has walkability. The more walkability, the less obesity. The report from the AJPH showed "neighborhoods with high walkability reported 70 more minutes of physical activity and a lower prevalence of obesity than the residents in a low walkabiltiy neighborhood."

Fair Lawn is a very walkable community. We have sidewalks unlike many newer suburban towns. In addition, our intersections are fairly safe. Plus, we have places that we can walk to, such as a bank, bagel store, the Radburn train station, a dry cleaner, hairdresser, pharmacy, and most other places where we all go for our daily errands. Unfortunately, we’re always in a hurry so we don’t take the extra time to walk to the bank or postoffice. We drive. And we drive from one to the other. We shouldn’t. Why not walk from home and get the benefits of the exercise while doing errands?

Here are suggestions when you are in two of the shopping areas of town. Park your car in Radburn and before you go into a store take a walk through the park. Then do your errands and drive home. If you shop on River Road park your car near Fair Lawn Avenue and walk down River Road to wherever you have to go. The farther you park the more you have to walk, and that’s good. Don’t look for the spot closest to the store either. The exercise will energize you and help keep you fit. It’s good for your weight, your heart, your bones, and your overall health. Better still, walk from home if you don’t have heavy packages to be carrying home. One or two bags is easy to carry, one in each hand, and gives you even more exercise.

Think about ways that you can include more walking every day. Remember, " more walkability less obesity."