Choosing the right neighborhood may be as effective as losing weight in preventing diabetes!

How healthy is your neighborhood? Drexel University researchers rated neighborhoods by the ease of nearby walking, access to fresh produce, availability of exercise facilities and even how often the neighbors are seen walking--plus more factors. Following five-years of followup they found a significant 38% reduction of diabetes among those who lived in the healthiest neighborhoods compared to the least-healthy areas. This was equivalent to dropping 5 points on the BMI (Body Max Index) scale! Does this prove cause and effect? Maybe healthy people pick healthy neighborhoods.

PositiveTip: Help make your neighborhood healthier by being seen out walking and encourage your grocer to stock plenty of good quality produce! This will help you, too.