Diabetes and Suburban Sprawl Dr. Richard J. Jackson, pediatrician and former director of the National Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created a series of documentaries titled Designing Healthy Communities. In the first series, Dr. Jackson explores the physical and social environment that surrounds suburban America. Communities around the U.S. lack mobility and in turn this has created an increase of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the last century. Dr. Jackson feels it is now more important than ever to rebuild the U.S. into a more mobile America which encourages a healthier lifestyle by rehabilitating communities.
Dr. Jackson explains with the expansion of automobiles becoming the leading form of transportation in the U.S., citizens have become increasingly less active. Convenience has taken over America with our abilities to commute between work, home and schools. Due to the lack of mobility, Dr. Jackson has concluded there has been an increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In today’s society, there is little chance for physical activity unless someone chooses to exercise. The lack of exercise, lack of nutrition, and convenience to processed foods has created an epidemic of obesity in the U.S (Jackson, 2013). Specifically, Dr. Jackson discusses the social environment in which teens are growing up. One topic is isolation and how teens no longer have the luxury of walking down to the corner store or hanging out with their friends in communities and small towns as we once had. According to Dr. Jackson, today’s teens are living in large subdivisions miles away from any type of community activities and have to rely on someone to transport them to go anywhere outside of their home (Jackson, 2013). Dr. Jackson voices his concerns as a pediatrician that the suburban isolation he describes causes depression and can lead to an increase rate of suicide (Jackson, 2013). So how does a community combat the physical and social environments of Suburban Sprawl? In recent years, communities around the nation are now beginning to refocus the rehabilitation efforts of their communities by creating rail communities or beltway communities, which encourage citizens to become more mobile. …show more content…
In urban areas where there is a significant population of low-income families, there is an increase of problems with obesity. Rail and beltway communities afford its citizens the opportunity to become more active by promoting the use of shared-use pathways and providing neighborhood-based trails that can be beneficial and impactful in many ways (RTC, 2017). Communities can now walk to work and to community areas where shopping and area restaurants are now located steps away from the railway or beltway. Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places to live (RTC, 2017). RTC’s Urban Pathways Initiative is a community based program where professionals around the nation are working to encourage active transportation and recreational options in neighborhoods. The creation of urban pathways, creates and inspires individuals to become more physically active but the benefits are not limited to just physical activity. Trails and greenways provide a community an increase in public health, economic and transportation benefits as well as community pride (RTC1, 2017). With leadership funding from The Kresge Foundation, RTC has successfully assisted seven urban
Dr. Jackson explains with the expansion of automobiles becoming the leading form of transportation in the U.S., citizens have become increasingly less active. Convenience has taken over America with our abilities to commute between work, home and schools. Due to the lack of mobility, Dr. Jackson has concluded there has been an increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In today’s society, there is little chance for physical activity unless someone chooses to exercise. The lack of exercise, lack of nutrition, and convenience to processed foods has created an epidemic of obesity in the U.S (Jackson, 2013). Specifically, Dr. Jackson discusses the social environment in which teens are growing up. One topic is isolation and how teens no longer have the luxury of walking down to the corner store or hanging out with their friends in communities and small towns as we once had. According to Dr. Jackson, today’s teens are living in large subdivisions miles away from any type of community activities and have to rely on someone to transport them to go anywhere outside of their home (Jackson, 2013). Dr. Jackson voices his concerns as a pediatrician that the suburban isolation he describes causes depression and can lead to an increase rate of suicide (Jackson, 2013). So how does a community combat the physical and social environments of Suburban Sprawl? In recent years, communities around the nation are now beginning to refocus the rehabilitation efforts of their communities by creating rail communities or beltway communities, which encourage citizens to become more mobile. …show more content…
In urban areas where there is a significant population of low-income families, there is an increase of problems with obesity. Rail and beltway communities afford its citizens the opportunity to become more active by promoting the use of shared-use pathways and providing neighborhood-based trails that can be beneficial and impactful in many ways (RTC, 2017). Communities can now walk to work and to community areas where shopping and area restaurants are now located steps away from the railway or beltway. Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places to live (RTC, 2017). RTC’s Urban Pathways Initiative is a community based program where professionals around the nation are working to encourage active transportation and recreational options in neighborhoods. The creation of urban pathways, creates and inspires individuals to become more physically active but the benefits are not limited to just physical activity. Trails and greenways provide a community an increase in public health, economic and transportation benefits as well as community pride (RTC1, 2017). With leadership funding from The Kresge Foundation, RTC has successfully assisted seven urban