Shocking Health Statistics Call For Better City Planning

Eric Fredericks • Friday February 23, 2007

I read a lot of different reports and articles on walkability. I’ve seen lots of presentations from fantastic speakers on the connections between the obesity epidemic and our built environment, including by Richard Jackson, the former California Health Officer. I’ve seen him speak before, and I love how he just lays everything on the line and does not hold back for political correctness. A recent speech he gave at the New Schools Better Neighborhoods symposium was particularly haunting to me. Here are just a few examples of what he said:

In 1993–94, 6–8 percent of Californians had diabetes. By 1999 8–10 percent had diabetes, and by 2001 the rate was over 10 percent. If you walk down the street in Los Angeles, one person in ten has a disease that will cost them their retinas, their kidneys, and eventually their lives. When I was a young doctor, the fifth most common reason for people needing donated kidneys was diabetes. It’s now far and away the number-one reason. The average 11-year-old in America is 11 pounds heavier than in 1980.

I did this presentation for Governor Schwarzenegger’s office, and when I interviewed for the job they asked me what my priorities would be. The first was preparedness, the second would be the obesity epidemic, the third would be the need for a Department of Public Health—and I am delighted that Los Angeles has taken that lead, which has an excellent health officer in Dr. Fielding.

The governor’s folks said, “Obesity? Why are you so concerned about this?�

>>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: United States •• comments [1]

A Cruel World for Disabled Persons

Eric Fredericks • Tuesday October 10, 2006

Seventy percent of people will be either temporarily or permanently disabled in their lifetime. That is a very strong point to consider whenever you design or plan a project. Sure, in the United States we have the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that provides guidelines to design for disabled pedestrians. In reality, the accessibility guidelines are very weak in some aspects. Plus, just because they are there doesn’t mean that designers necessarily design the facilities correctly. Take a look at the photo above, for instance. Shirley, the wonderful volunteer pictured, could not reach the pedestrian push button from her wheelchair at a traffic signal. If no one else was around, how on earth could she cross a busy street safely? Chances are very high that you as the reader of this article will experience the same situation at some point in your lifetime.

Another dubious example is pictured below. Shirley was not able to use the sidewalk because it was in such poor condition and had telephone polls and wires in the middle of it. She was forced to use the bike lane to continue down the street. This was a scary experience for her considering some cars were going over 60 miles per hour (mph) when the speed limit was 35mph (Note that cars were parked in the bike lane as well). These photos were taken along Hurley Way in Arden Arcade in the unincorporated part of Sacramento County. Really, these photos could be taken in any town USA. I would imagine that conditions are more hostile than here in most places. Remember, there is quite a large percentage of the population that have mobility issues. Yet, these individuals still want and need to get around and sometimes do not have access to a motor vehicle. If you come across a project where your expertise on this matter is needed, and you do not feel comfortable with your own judgment, please find an expert to consult with. A simple issue such as the height of a pushbutton on a utility pole could adversely affect the lives of many.

More photos and comments after the jump. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: Sacramento •• comments [2]

One in Four People Are Obese in Nine US States - More States Are on the Way

Eric Fredericks • Monday July 24, 2006

New data is available on the obesity epidemic that is plaguing the United States, and this time it is in the prettiest graphical form I have seen to date (or ugliest, when you consider the data it is displaying!). This graphic displays that in 2004 one out of four people in nine U.S. states are obese. We are not talking about people that have an extra few pounds, we are talking about very large people at risk for serious health problems. Obese is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more (about 30 pounds overweight for a 5’4 person). The associated article with the graphic is definitely worth a read as well.

I am not writing this to pick on these particular states, because most others are not far behind. Here are the nine states that are in the highest category: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. I have spent significant time in each of these states, and the results are not surprising to me. The built environment is not conducive to biking and walking throughout a large portion of these states. Sprawl has infested every last corner of the landscape in some places. And, fast food restaurants with drive-thrus and buffets are the norm. The eating habits are another part of our get-it-quick society. We spend a lot of time behind the wheels of our vehicles and have little time for healthy, home-cooked meals anymore. We want the most “bang for our buck” – and quick. This article could lead into a whole other discussion (or even a new blog) on healthy eating, nutrition, and physical activity.

To be fair, the BMI Calculator is probably a little harsh. Most people say that I am too skinny (which I am not), and even I come in near the top of their “normal” BMI zone. To calculate your own BMI, visit this site.

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: United States •• Comments [2]

National Public Health Week and Actions You Can Take

Eric Fredericks • Monday April 3, 2006

This week is National Public Health Week (NPHW) and the focus this year is on children and the built environment, according to the American Public Health Association (APHA). This year’s tagline is “Designing Healthy Communities: Raising Healthy Kids.â€? According to the website:

Each day of the week, APHA and its partners will encourage Americans to build healthier communities and to raise healthier kids. The week will showcase national communities that have addressed challenges in their built environment and serve as models for other areas across the nation.

APHA also lists actions you can take every day this week, urging members of Congress to support initiatives to improve children’s health and the built environment. Some of these are really impressive:

Monday: DESIGNING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, RAISING HEALTHY KIDS

1. Support Senator Barack Obama’s (D-IL) and Representative Hilda Solis’ (D-Ca) Healthy PLACES (Priorities for Living Actively in Community Environments) Act of 2006, to be introduced this week, which brings together all levels of government to address environmental health issues by: (1) establishing and supporting health impact assessment programs to proactively examine the potential health effects of major policy or programmatic changes, (2) creating a grant program to assist states and local communities to address environmental health hazards, particularly those that contribute to health disparities and (3) accelerating research on the relationship between the environment and health. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: United States •• Comments

Sign-Language Town Planned for South Dakota

Eric Fredericks • Wednesday November 9, 2005

Some individuals are incredibly inspirational, and Marvin Miller can fall into this prestigious category. According to an article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Mr. Miller is working with several planners and architects to design and build a brand-new town in rural South Dakota for signers (not just deaf but for hearing signers as well). Mr. Miller, who was born deaf, is supporting the project mostly with his own money, bank loans, and also several donations from benefactors who support deaf causes. Mr. Miller chose rural South Dakota because it has cheap land, a small population, and low taxes. The town will be called Laurent in honor of Laurent Clerc, a French educator who founded the first school for the deaf in the United States. The planned location for the town is off of Interstate 90 between two of the largest cities in South Dakota, Sioux Falls and Mitchell. This would give Laurent access to a major airport and hospital. Mr. Miller wants to build the town in the style of a European village with walkable streets and mixed-use development. He estimates the town will have around 2,500 residents.

Mr. Miller’s mother-in-law, M.E. Barwacz, has also been a driving force in this project. According to her bio on the Laurent town website, Ms. Laurent envisions Laurent to be a “walkable community where people can keep their independence, without having to drive a car.”

The project looks as though it is gaining momentum, hopefully the county zoning laws can be changed so that the town can be built. I think this community could exceed expectations if it is designed well. There are very few places in the United States that are built completely compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Those places that are ADA compliant are often the best places to live or visit because if a place is designed with the needs of the disabled in mind it will work for everyone, including children. While Walkable Neighborhoods typically is not supportive of greenfield development, this project can probably receive an exemption because the potential benefits could be huge. (Photo credit: Peter Musty, AIA and Peter Harmatuck of Charrette Center)

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: South Dakota •• Comments

Proof That Higher Density Is Better For Your Life Expectancy

Eric Fredericks • Friday November 4, 2005

Recent reports from the Ontario College of Family Physicians provide concrete evidence that many of us in the livable communities field already knew: that people in cities with higher densities (i.e. walkable places) live longer than those that live in lower-density places (i.e. the suburbs). These reports that covered two-thirds of the total population of the U.S. (83 regions) found that the greater the density (sprawl index), the fewer the fatalities per 1000 people.

The reports demonstrate that lower densities have higher incidence of cardiovascular and lung diseases including asthma in children, as well as cancer and diabetes – all of which can be linked to the higher obesity rates and increased air pollution from gridlock. Perhaps the more surprising total for some non-believers are the increased traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities. This makes sense because of the fact that in higher density places, you tend to walk more. Services are usually provided at a pedestrian scale and the need for automobiles significantly decreases.

The reports also offer some recommendations on what you should look for when choosing a community. I wanted to see if I the neighborhood I lived in satisfied their criteria. Read on to see if I succeeded. Source: CoolTown Studios >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: General •• Comments

Obesity Numbers Out - Maine's Are Not Good

Eric Fredericks • Thursday August 25, 2005

Maine’s updated obesity numbers are out, and everyone in Maine probably wishes they had better numbers to print. The same can be said for just about every state in the US. The Portland Press Herald reports the Maine has the highest obesity rates in New England. The State’s top health official, Dr. Dora Anne Mills, says those figures are no surprise because of Maine’s higher poverty rate. “It’s harder for people with lower income to access healthy foods and (live in) walkable communities,” said Mills according to the recent article.

 

Category: Health Issues •• Region: Maine •• Comments [1]

www.flickr.com

Visit our Photo Gallery

Post a Job!
$25 for 45 days

Our Favorite Sites

Partners
Friends of Fremont Park
PedalGR
LAtino Urban Forum

Sacramento
LivinginUrbanSac
Central City Opinion

Planning-Related
CA Transportation Plan

Real Estate
4realz.net