1y ago

Bryson's America: Why would you walk?

www.independent.co.uk

Article from 1999, referenced study likely from earlier.

The average American walks less than 75 miles a year - about 1.4 miles a week, barely 350 yards a day.

Thank you to @urlyman@mastodon.social for pointing this out.

Archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20240218142310/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/bryson-s-america-why-would-you-walk-1079183.html

18 comments

These numbers seem way too low, 1.4 miles a week??? Even in 2024 where we have more means of transport than ever, I still walk more than that every day!
- Are you joking? That seems ridiculously low to me. That's barely 300 metres per day. I walk more than that just pacing around my apartment on a typical day. I actually can't even envision what a life with so little walking would look like.
  
  No, I just wrote the wrong word because I'm going on way too little sleep this weekend. I should've said low.
- I have failed to find the mentioned study.
  I can believe an elderly person barely moving, and perhaps there are a number of them?
  
  Yeah, aside from riding my bike, I would hardly call myself active but I sure as hell walk waaaay more than that. Even if I was above average (doubtful), these numbers seem off, especially for back then. With all sorts of delivery and micromobility devices these days, I figure we're walking even less than we did in the 90s but still more than 1.4 miles per week (you could easily walk that without even leaving a building)
Not the mentioned study, but still interesting.
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2010/10000/pedometer_measured_physical_activity_and_health.4.aspx
Adults reported taking an average of 5117 steps per day. Male gender, younger age, higher education level, single marital status, and lower body mass index were all positively associated with steps per day. Steps per day were positively related to other self-reported measures of physical activity and negatively related to self-reported measures on physical inactivity. Living environment (urban, suburban, or rural) and eating habits were not associated with steps per day.
Important to note that study participants may not be reflective of the average American.
Edit: 1 miles is apparently near 2,000 steps. (From another article which credited "researchers".)
The typical American walks only to and from their garage. Georg, who lives in a cave and walks 10,000 miles a day, is an outlier and should not have been counted.
- So 416 mph, not bad. That good olde made-up paleo diet, right?
The link is broken. It tries to save the page instead of showing an already saved version.
- Ah, you are right. Thank you.
  Edit: Fixed archive link.
Farts-entertainment?
- You rang?

18 comments