A controversial new study by University of Toronto economist Matthew Turner questions whether suburban sprawl is a contributing factor to obesity. His findings have been met largely with criticism from public health and urban planning experts, who question the study’s methodology and reiterate the numerous health benefits associated with reducing sprawl.  

Turner argues that the higher incidence of overweight and obese people in sprawling communities is a result of individual preference for those types of neighborhoods. His research does not indicate that people gain significant weight after moving from more dense neighborhoods to less dense neighborhoods.