Research
Adherence
Higher neighborhood walkability is associated with a lower risk and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Living in a neighborhood with higher walkability (e.g., sidewalks, mixed-use zoning, proximity to amenities) is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This is likely because it makes physical activity easier to incorporate into daily life.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Higher neighbourhood walkability was associated with lower T2DM risk/prevalence (n = 8, OR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.7–0.9; I2 = 92%)
Why this rating
Based on a meta-analysis of 8 studies, with high heterogeneity (I2=92%), but consistent direction of effect.
Source
Built environmental characteristics and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Nicolette R. den Braver et al. · BMC Medicine · 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12916-017-0997-z
Meta-analysis · 40 studiesCited 234×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Living in an urban residence is associated with a significantly higher risk and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared to living in a rural residence.Good
- There is no convincing evidence of an association between the food environment (e.g., availability of supermarkets, fast-food outlets) and T2DM risk or prevalence.Good
- More green space in a neighborhood tends to be associated with a lower risk and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although the evidence is not as strong as for walkability.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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