Who walks less? Men or women?

I'm not angry. I'm just disappointed.

Chart from World Population Review

Key factors explaining differences when they do exist:

• Employment patterns - More men may walk to work simply because employment rates differ, particularly in countries like Japan where this gap is larger.

• Trip purposes - Women make more walking trips for errands and household needs, making about twice as many trips for children's needs compared to men PubMed Central.

• Safety concerns - Women must account for threats of gender-based violence in public spaces and feel less inclined to walk in certain areas at certain times Streetsblog, which can limit when and where they walk.

• Self-efficacy and age - Research on walking interventions shows women have lower success rates increasing their steps, suggesting psychological and social factors beyond just opportunity.

So it's less that American women universally walk less, and more that walking patterns differ by purpose, age, and are constrained by safety considerations that disproportionately affect women.