Sprawled out
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat. Suburbs are supposed to have space for kids to roam. Cities have sidewalks. But guess whose kids are in better shape? Researcher Reid Ewing of the University of Maryland compared communities with the heft of 12- to 17-year-olds. The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Ewing found that, the more sprawling the place, the more sprawling the teenager. Manhattan had the least sprawl and the least risk of overweight -- 6 percent. A Cleveland suburb had the greatest sprawl, and the greatest risk – 14 percent. Ewing suggests suburban parents find activities to make up for what their kids lack. "The child will not get physical activity walking to the store – will not get physical activity walking to the bus stop – in a sprawling environment. So parents have to compensate." (10 seconds) Learn more at www.hhs.gov. HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss. Last revised: February, 22 2007 | 
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