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RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)

08/09/2012     




RE: Walking: Saving Lives: Protecting People, Saving Money Through Prevention
From: Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH

Walking is the most commonly reported physical activity by U.S. adults concluded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an early release August 7, 2012. To sustain increases in the prevalence of walking, communities can implement evidence-based strategies such as creating or enhancing access to places for walking or using design and land use policies and practices that emphasize mixed-use communities and pedestrian-friendly streets.

The impact of these strategies on walking should be monitored systematically at the national, state, and local levels. Public health efforts to promote walking as a way to meet physical activity guidelines can help improve the health of U.S. residents. Noting this, the role of podiatric physicians to encourage walking by preventing or treating conditions causing disorders of the pedal extremities cannot be overemphasized.

Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, levyleon@nova.edu