Walking is known to be beneficial for health yet fewer and fewer people are walking these days What are the reasons for this What can be done to address this problem v.2

Physical activity has been proved as a vital factor in maintaining the human’s health. People used to walk a lot in the past and it contributed greatly to their physical condition. However, this situation has been altering dramatically over the last few decades resulting in declining of walking habits among human beings. This essay will discuss reasons for this trend and propose some possible solutions. The predominant factor which leads to reduction of time spent on walking is the availability of transport. Nowadays virtually every family in most of the countries has at least one car, besides buses, subway and taxis are available for use. Consequently, many people avail themselves of the opportunity to reach the desired destination in a comfortable and fast way which public or personal transport can provide. Another reason is a neglect of the valuable effect that walking brings about by people. In the modern fast and busy world most of them are concerned about everyday tasks and duties rather than their own health and tend to save time on walking to devote it to their career, education or family. In order to tackle this problem, a holistic approach needs be considered. First of all, the government should imply taxes on automobile owners and public transport making it more expensive. This harsh measure would compel people to walk more rather than drive or make use of subway or taxis because less of them could afford the same number of rides. The collected money can be invested into construction of green and pedestrian areas such as parks and convenient sidewalks in cities providing an opportunity for pleasant and enjoyable strolls. Moreover, an awareness campaign should be launch by authorities to remind the citizens of positive effects of daily walking. For example, posters on public place, which render information on how regular walking reduce the risk of a heart attack or short videos on television on how walking facilitate to weight loss. To conclude, although there are several causes of decreasing amount of time spent on walking by people these days, the government can take certain steps to encourage them walk more and therefore to ensure the healthier nation.