Newton Trails

"The way we design and build our communities can affect our physical and mental health. Healthy community design integrates evidence-based health strategies into community planning, transportation, and land-use decisions."

Those aren't my words.  They're from the US Centers for Disease Control, explaining the idea behind the CDC's Healthy Community Design initiative.  I'm thinking a great deal about healthy places after a business trip this week to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota.  I knew of  Minneapolis's reputation as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in America.  But, I had no idea just how much that health-conscious mentality pervades the city's culture.  Indeed, the trails and greenways are everywhere -- transecting downtowns and outlying communities, circling lakes, and paralleling rivers.  More than 100 miles of trails by last count.  But, equally impressive was the plethora of dining choices based on fresh ingredients and healthy food choices.  Even, in the airport, the usual fast food fare was obscured by places offering up uniquely nutritious choices.  Despite winter's bitter embrace, you could feel the good health vibrations pulsing through this city.

Small wonder people are taking notice.  In May of 2011, the American College of Sports Medicine designated Minneapolis-St Paul as the fittest cities in America, based on its American Fitness Index.  That measure considers factors such as the percentage of residents who smoke, obesity rates, percentage of people who exercise, and availability of parks, walking trails and farmers' markets.

You can read more about the rankings and what sets the Twin Cities apart in USA Today and Forbes.

American businesses have taken note as well, with more than 70 major corporations and 18 Fortune 500 corporations headquartered in the Twin Cities and the surrounding metropolitan area.

How have these northern communities in the harshest of climates made such a serious commitment to outdoor recreation and fitness, while cities in the far more hospitable south seem to remain unconvinced?  Small wonder that national statistics on health and obesity-related illnesses consistently show the southern states falling to the bottom.

It's the place that matters.  Not just the natural gifts of where we are, but the man-made environment we create.  When we place no value on recreation, good food, and fitness, we put no importance on our health or that of our children.  To change that, we need passion, enthusiasm, and committed leadership like you'll here in the video below.

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