HEALTH & WELLBEING THE WALK OF LIFE
Burwood Brickworks, VIC
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n the development community we talk a lot about creating places that are walkable; where getting from one side of the neighbourhood to another can be done without needing the use of a car. Most of the time, the explicit benefits centre on convenience and safety. Convenience because what you need is just a stroll away. Safety because streets aren’t as clogged with cars, which is great for pedestrians and the environment. While these advantages are obviously important, we’re increasingly learning that walkable communities offer a range of other benefits – including living a longer and healthier life. As most of us know by now, two big health problems facing western societies today are obesity and loneliness. Studies show that social isolation and loneliness can increase our risk of premature death by 26%, Live proud | Spring/Summer 2019
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