Making Citizens Healthier May Be Easier Than You Think

Posted by Sheila Redick on January 16, 2006

Various medical studies show that small changes can mean a big difference in health outcomes.  One hour of gardening per week lowers the risk of sudden cardiac death by 66 percent.  Walking one hour a week lowers the risk of coronary artery disease by 51 percent.  Exercising 30 minutes six days a month lowers mortality rate by 43 percent.

With just a few changes in urban design and programming, citizens can be encouraged to make these activities part of their daily lives.  No one has yet calculated the savings on health care costs that would likely result, but it is a safe assumption that the savings would be significant.  And since health care costs are eating our public budgets alive, any savings we can achieve are worth a serious effort.