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 While recent studies have shown that obesity is more common in rural neighborhoods than in urban settings, Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science proposes that, added to this, a location not conducive to walking can increase a person's risk for diabetes.

This does not only go for neighborhoods where it is necessary to drive to your nearest conveyance store but also includes neighborhoods with too many stores and eateries situated within feet of other, as is the case in low income neighborhoods.

The study, authored by Dr. Gillian Booth, an endocrinologist and researcher at St. Michael's notes that,

"Although diabetes can be prevented through physical activity, healthy eating and weight loss, we found the environment in which one lives is also an important indicator for determining risk,"

The findings suggest that immigrants of any other group who live in areas with fragmented or poorly connected streets and in fewer destinations within a 10-minute walk, are 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes when compared to long-term residents living in walk-friendly areas.

However, research shows that as populations increase more and more neighborhoods are facing unhealthy eating choices, in the rise of fast food franchises, with fewer to no opportunities for physical exercise.

In order to determine which neighborhoods were more conducive to walking, researchers developed an index looking at factors such as population density, street connectivity and the availability of walkable destinations such as retail stores and other services within a 10-minute walk, not closer or further.

Those areas with the highest diabetic population were those who relied on motorized transportation to go anywhere and those areas that had highly concentrated shopping and food centers where walking was very minimal.

Researcher's note that potyential movers should take both factors into account. Though, they posit, if you have to choose one or the other always pick the location that requires little use of a car.