A baseline study funded by CQU's Centre for Social Science Research shows that Central Queenslanders are a fairly social lot, but that a significant group are missing out on social opportunities.

Researcher Dr Harvey Griggs studied findings from the 2003 CQ Social Survey conducted in the area from Mackay to Bundaberg and west to the border.

He is investigating the phenomenon tagged 'social capital' because it has been shown to help people, enterprises, industries and communities to be more responsive and adaptable in the face of opportunities and threats.

The 2003 survey showed that 46 per cent of people had no close relatives living within a 15-20 minute walk or a 5-10 minute drive; 49 per cent did not talk to their neighbours or did so less than once a month; 41 per cent felt they lived in an area where people went their own way and did not help each other; and 32 per cent never went out with their colleagues or did so rarely.

Dr Griggs found a positive relationship between social bonding and physical activity levels and between social bonding and higher household income, although the direction of influence in these relationships has yet to be shown.