Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Pedestrian safety

Survey: Americans Know They Should Walk, But Lack Time and Infrastructure

Americans are slouches when it comes to walking.

Americans don't walk enough, depite being aware of the health benefits. Image: ##http://share.kaiserpermanente.org/article/americans-view-walking-as-good-for-health-but-many-arent-walking-enough-to-realize-health-benefits-survey/## Kaiser Permanente##

According to a recent survey of 1,224 adults commissioned by Kaiser Permanente, a third of Americans reported they do not walk for more than a 10-minute period during the course of a typical week. Of the remaining two-thirds, another 31 percent said they get less than the CDC's recommended weekly 150 minutes of walking. The results of the survey were released at the Walking Summit last week in Washington.

Americans aren't ignorant about the health benefits of walking. Seventy-four percent said they should walk more. Eighty percent know walking reduces depression, and more than that acknowledge it reduces anxiety and can prevent heart disease.

So what's holding us back? Lack of time and energy were cited as major reasons for not walking enough, according to GFK Research, the company Kaiser hired to produce the report. Another big factor was neighborhood conditions and the way we've built our society around driving to the exclusion of healthy, active transportation.

Four in 10 of those surveyed said their neighborhood was "not very" or "not at all" walkable. The biggest deterrents included "lack of sidewalks, drivers who speed and drivers who talk on their phones or text." Crime was the eighth most frequently listed factor, and was ranked higher by black and Hispanic respondents.

The survey also found that, for the most part, Americans do not choose their neighborhoods based on walkability. (Although recent research from the National Association of Realtors indicates otherwise.) Those who lived in walkable neighborhoods, however, reported logging more steps every week.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Best of 2024: Yes, People Bike In ‘Bad’ Weather — If We Support Them

Good policy can mean the difference between people getting in the saddle or not — even when Mother Nature is at her worst.

December 26, 2024

Tuesday’s Headlines Are the Reason for the Season

An MTA worker's delightful after-work hobby, a viral sidewalk meme revisited and a few wonkier deep dives to get you through the holidays.

December 24, 2024

Best of 2024: The Real (Disappointing) Reason Why Gen Z Is Getting Fewer Drivers Licenses

Yes, fewer young adults are getting behind the wheel. No, it doesn't mean car culture is doomed.

December 24, 2024

Streetsblog Year in Review: The Biggest Sustainable Transport News of 2024

It was a busy year in the movement to end car dependency — and there's a lot more to come.

December 23, 2024

Monday’s Headlines Are Knocked Out by Greenways

Greenways are helping to revitalize cities, but how well are they integrated into the overall transportation system?

December 23, 2024
See all posts