As urban planners and health officials seek ways to improve public health, UNH research provides compelling evidence on the benefits of walkable communities for expectant mothers and their babies.
A study co-authored by Karen Conway, an economics professor at the UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, reveals that pregnant women in walkable communities not only engage in more physical activity but also experience better birth outcomes.
The Study and Its Findings
Conway's research, conducted in collaboration with Andrea Menclova from the University of Canterbury, uncovers these connections between community walkability and pregnancy health:
- Expectant mothers in more walkable counties engage in more walking and exercise.
- These women are less likely to experience preterm birth, low birth weight, gestational diabetes, and gestational hypertension.
- Surprisingly, no clear connection was found between walking and its impact on gestational weight gain or macrosomia (high birth weight).
"Even though our primary avenue didn't pan out, the outcomes we did find are just as important,” Conway says. “In a way, who cares about gestational weight gain if, at the end of the day, the mom and the baby are in better health?"
Key Insights
The study, which combined EPA walkability measures with data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and National Vital Statistics Natality Detail Files, found that a 10-point increase in the walkability index (equivalent to moving from "least walkable" to "most walkable") is associated with:
- A 70+ minute increase in weekly exercise among pregnant women
- 0.8 percentage point increase in the likelihood of a full-term birth
- 0.07-week extension in gestational age
- 27g increase in birth weight
- 27% reduction in the likelihood of gestational diabetes
- 16% reduction in the likelihood of gestational hypertension
Broader Implications
Conway notes that the benefits of walkable communities extend beyond just physical activity:
- Increased time spent outdoors and social interaction may contribute to better health outcomes.
- The study provides valuable information for policymakers considering interventions to improve the built environment.
Conclusion
Conway believes this study may be just the beginning of a broader investigation into the relationship between walkability and various health outcomes.
"I think a lot of our health woes in this country are a function of the built infrastructure. How unwalkable a lot of areas are, with no sidewalks and busy roads,” Conway says.
Read full UNH Today article here.
