Sep 14, 2015 07:29 AM EDT By Rashmi Kalia, UniversityHerald Reporter

The surgeon general of the United States, Vivek Murthy, issued a call to address public health issues such as heart disease and diabetes by stressing on the need to exercise more, especially walking, to achieve good health, NYC Today reports.

The campaign asked community planners and local leaders to make space in the community for walking and wheelchair rolling. It also stressed on the need to develop safe routes for children to walk to and from schools.

According to NYC Today, Peter Norton, who has studied the history of transportation, said,

"If the Surgeon General had called for people to exercise more, that would be just another predictable announcement; But he called for walking".

Murthy said it is essential to encourage walking habits in the country and to ensure that everyone prefers to walk in their own communities.

It has been seen that the creation of safe walking routes in a neighborhood curbs the crime rate in a community. However, despite the positive advantages, not many communities offer safe and well-designed walking spaces.

Exercise, especially walking, has always been associated with hordes of benefits, both physical and mental. Earlier studies by researchers have proved that walking improves blood sugar, lowers blood pressure, increases the size of the area of the brain involved in learning and memory and also helps reduce anxiety.

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