Malta’s walking habits: Study finds men and women walk similar distances

A recent study exploring how people in Malta travel short distances found that men and women have similar attitudes toward walking, but younger men tend to walk less frequently.

The research, based on responses from 855 people living mainly in Malta’s urban areas, examined walking habits, car use, how hard people feel walking is, and how far they are willing to walk.

The study entitled: Walking Women: Gender Differences in Perceived Physical Exertion when Walking Short Distance, authored by mobility experts Maria Attard and Karyn Scerri was published in the international journal: ‘Research in Transportation Economics.’

Despite Malta’s strong reliance on cars—with 91% of respondents using a car at least once a week—the average distance people said they were willing to walk was about 1.3 kilometres (around 17 minutes). This distance is just under the widely cited international “walkable” distance of 1.6 km and matches the growing idea of 15-to-20-minute cities, where every day needs are close enough to reach on foot.

Men and women reported nearly identical walking distance thresholds: women were willing to walk an average of 16.95 minutes, and men 16.89 minutes. The difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, both genders rated walking short distances as equally easy in terms of physical effort.

The online survey based on data collected in 2023 showed some small differences in travel habits. Women walked slightly more often, while men used cars a little more frequently for short trips. However, these differences were minor overall.

The study found that the main factors affecting how far people walk include how physically demanding they think walking is, how often they use a car, how often they walk, and how good they think their neighbourhood environment is. Those who walked more often felt walking was easier and were willing to walk further.

In contrast, people who used cars more frequently walked less and were willing to walk shorter distances. A better-rated urban environment was linked to people walking shorter distances, which may suggest that those living in nicer areas have less need to walk far.

Age itself was not a significant factor for how far people were willing to walk. But younger men, especially those under 35, walked less frequently than other groups. This lower walking rate could lead to health issues and higher car use over time. The study suggests targeted efforts to encourage more walking among younger men—such as incentives, walking challenges, or apps that promote active lifestyles.

Neighbourhood quality was also important. Participants generally felt improvements were needed in air and noise pollution, road safety, and pedestrian infrastructure like pavements and cycle lanes. Enhancing these factors could help reduce the perceived effort of walking and encourage more people to walk.

Since gender does not strongly influence walking behaviour, policies to promote walking can target all groups rather than focusing on men or women specifically. Instead, measures should focus on reducing car use and improving walking conditions for everyone.

To encourage more walking and reduce Malta’s dependence on cars, the study recommends integrated transport and urban planning strategies. These include ensuring essential services are within walking distance, investing in safe and pleasant pedestrian routes with shade and resting spots, promoting car-free zones, and linking walking with public transport to make trips easier.

Overall, the research highlights both the challenges and opportunities for shifting travel habits in Malta toward healthier, more sustainable choices. Since many people are already willing to walk for around 17 minutes, better neighbourhood design and supportive policies could encourage even more walking, reducing traffic and boosting wellbeing.

Further studies could explore how other factors—such as income, education, safety concerns, or caregiving duties—influence walking behaviour, as these were beyond the survey’s scope.