Opinion: Start new year off on right foot

Deb Scott, president of the Ozarks Regional YMCA, is one of many local civic leaders in Activate America. The group’s mission is to educate the community on the substantial impacts of inactivity and poor nutrition. To illustrate the alarming trends here in the Show-Me State, she notes that 22 percent of adults were classified as obese in 2003, compared to only 12 percent in 1990. Nationally, sedentary lifestyles result in nearly 10 times more deaths (365,000) than motor vehicle crashes (4,000).

The impact on the corporate bottom line is significant. The annual health care costs for a sedentary person are estimated to be $330 more than someone who is active. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control calculates Missouri’s cost of obesity at $1.6 billion.

From a center city perspective, what can be done to encourage wellness?

Just do it

Scott recommends making small changes toward a healthier lifestyle. The first strategy is to increase walking by 2,000 steps per day.

Many center city dwellers already take this advice to heart. Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Norm Ridder is one of the most visible leaders in this effort. Ridder wears his pedometer daily and is a strong advocate for promoting wellness for children.

Scott’s second strategy is to choose one behavior per day to eliminate 100 calories, such as ordering fruit instead of fries or just saying no to a late night snack. Center city’s plethora of fine and casual dining choices provide healthy dining options.

Just Design It

A recent report, entitled “F as in Fat,” by The Trust for America’s Health noted a couple of the factors that contribute to obesity include:

• Communities designed to foster driving rather than biking or walking; and

• Limited parks and recreation space.

Butler, Rosenbury & Partners’ $3.25 million redeveloped building on North Main and the Discovery Center’s $4 million addition on St. Louis are two major projects to include showers and bike racks.

Bruce Adib-Yazdi, a principal at BRP and president of Ozarks Greenways said, “Having a shower in our office has removed a barrier for those who would like to participate in such activities. I have personally used it many times, especially during Bike to Work Week.”

Tim Rosenbury, chief operating officer at BRP, noted its new location – strategically positioned between College Station and Jordan Valley Park’s West Meadows – has been a key component in attracting and retaining associates.

Other employers will have similar opportunities as the Jordan Valley greenway develops, ultimately stretching from Evangel University, Drury University and Ozarks Technical Community College on the north to the Boonville corridor at the core, and west to Kansas Expressway through the West Meadows.

Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, can be reached at rusty@itsalldowntown.com.