Community Design, Active Living and Public Health

Community Design, Active Living and Public Health

Community Design, Active Living and Public Health

Paul Zykofsky, AICP, Local Government Commission

The Ahwahnee Principles

All planning should be in the form of complete and integrated communities containing housing, shops, work places, schools, parks and civic facilities essential to the daily life of the residents.
Community size should be designed so that housing, jobs, daily needs and other activities are within easy walking distance of each other.

Implementation Strategy

Plans should be developed through an open process and participants in the process should be provided visual models of all planning proposals.

Health, Physical Activity and Community Design

Concern over impacts of sedentary lifestyle on public health
200,000 deaths/year attributable to physical inactivity
Increase in seriously overweight youth
- 5% in 1963-70
- 14% in 1988-94

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1985

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1986

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1987

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1988

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1989

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1990

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1991

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1992

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1993

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1994

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1995

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1996

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1997

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1998

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 1999

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 2000

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — 2001

Actual Causes of Death in the US

Explaining the Epidemic

Not genetic or biological changes
But sweeping societal and environmental changes

The Burden of Physical Inactivity

The Problem
- 27% of adults are sedentary
- 61% of adults are overweight
- 1 in 4 adults is obese
The Outcome
- Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, Diabetes
- Physical inactivity is a primary factor in over 250,000 deaths annually.
Medical costs associated with physical inactivity and its consequences may exceed $76 billion annually.

Physical Inactivity and Overweight Trends Among Youth

1 in 3 high school youth do not engage in vigorous physical activity
Less than 30% attend daily physical education
1 in 7 youth ages 6-19 is overweight
Children spend more time watching television in a year than they do attending school

The Disappearing Walk to School

1 in 4 trips made by 5-15 year olds are for the journey to and from school.
Only 10% of these trips are made by walking and bicycling.
Of school trips one mile or less, about 28% are walk-based and less than 1% are bike-based.

A New Childhood Dilemma “Veal Syndrome”

Encourage sedentary behaviors over an active lifestyle.
Remove or restrict routine physical activity.
Chauffeur them for short trips.
Restrict spontaneous decisions to play or recreate outdoors.
Confine them to four walls of school or home for most of the day.

A New Childhood Dilemma “Veal Syndrome”

Problem: Can’t walk or bike there from here…

Alternative Patterns of Development

Non-Motorized Trips 1977-1995

Trends

It’s the Urban Design…

“Reliance on physical activity as an alternative to car use is less likely to occur in many cities and towns unless they are designed or retrofitted to permit walking or bicycling. The location of schools, work sites, and shopping areas near residential areas will require substantial changes in community or regional design.”

— Journal of the American Medical Association, Editorial, 10/27/99

The good news…

“Physical activity need not be of vigorous intensity for it to improve health.”

Ñ Report of the Surgeon General on ÒPhysical Activity and Health,Ó 1996

The good news…

Significant health benefits can be obtained through moderate amount of physical activity on most days of the week:
- 30 minutes of brisk walking or raking leaves
- 15 minutes of running
- 45 minutes of playing volleyball

Advancing the Concept of Active Living

Active Living is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines.

Factors that Influence Active Living

Land Use Mix
Network Connectivity
Street Design
Site Design
Density
Beliefs
- Crime
- Safety

The Impact of Activity-Friendly Environments

An average 150 pound person living in a activity-friendly environment could prevent weight gain of 0.85 to 1.75 pounds per year, which approximates the average adult weight gain in the U.S.
(Source: Jim Sallis Ph.D., San Diego State University)

The Impact of Access and Facilities on Active Living

People who report having access to sidewalks and trails are 28-55% more likely to be physically active.
(Source: Humpel et al., 2002)
46% of Americans would walk or bike to work or for errands if they only had facilities that were “safe and convenient”
(Source: Rodale Press Survey)

Impact of Community Design on Activity

Variable	Outcome
Mix of Land Use	19% increase in walk/bike trips in areas with appropriate land use mix
Presence/Proximity of Convenience Services	27% increase in walk/bike trips in areas having high presence and good proximity
Perceived Traffic Safety	increase in walk/bike trips in areas perceived as more safe
Perceived Aesthetics	50% increase in walk/bike trips in areas perceived as more aesthetically pleasing
Development of Bikeway	57% increase in bicycling in areas with dedicated bikeways
Availability of Parks and Trails	75% of inactives believe there are too few parks and recreation facilities. 56% of Nebraskans would use trails if provided in their community
Policy Support	55% support more bike paths, 62% more sidewalks, 60% for improved connections to destinations, and 57% improving mass transit.

A national, state and local priority

Strategies to increase physical activity and promote active living through a robust transportation system and activity-friendly design must become a national, state and local priority.

Supporting The Call to Action

Foundations
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  - Active Living programs
Federal Government
- CDC, NIH, DOT, NPS
Advocacy Organizations
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
- League of American Bicyclists
- AmericaWalks
- Local Government Commission

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