A recent article in The Monitor suggested that adding sidewalks to traffic heavy areas in one town may help reduce the incidence of childhood obesity. “Constructing more than 30 miles of sidewalks, redesigning crosswalks and installing bike racks at two dozen school campuses can aid the Edinburg school district’s efforts to curb childhood obesity, school officials said.
The $9 million in federal funding distributed to the school system through the Safe Routes to School Program will make walking and biking to school safer and more appealing for students, said district architect Robert Estrada, who put together the application for the grant money. But it can also be part of the school system’s effort to fight childhood obesity by improving school lunch diets and encouraging physical activity among its students.
‘Twenty years ago, everybody walked to school because parents knew it was safe,” Estrada said. “We’re hoping to improve those numbers for kids that might live in areas where they didn’t want to walk because there was traffic.’”
The NB3 Foundation thinks this a great initiative to help get kids moving in a safe and active way. Recently, the NB3 Foundation broke ground on a new soccer field and community park in the Pueblo of San Felipe to help provide the community with a safe location for kids to play. http://notah.com/content.aspx?id=908
What are some other ways communities are taking action against childhood obesity? In schools, community parks, food sourcing. The NB3 Foundation wants to know your thoughts and ideas!
