Policies supporting physical activity for people in urban communities

The Department of Health and Human Services funds projects that promote inclusivity and physical activity through engagements. Physical inactivity has many health risks and contributes to premature mortality in the U. S. The paper evaluates four public policies that encourage physical activity in urban settings, which include the High Obesity Program, walking and walkability policy, among others. Finally, the paper provides recommendations to strengthen these policies to address the ballooning cases of obesity and cardiovascular diseases resulting from physical inactivity. These factors collectively evoke the need for physical activity in these localities. Although the connection between the physical environment and physical activities is complicated, efforts to promote sustainable living, urban planning, environmental conservation, and active transportation aim to encourage healthy life and wellbeing (Naimi et al.

As a result, there is a need for policy alternatives on physical activity to be not only effective but also provide measurable health outcomes. The most efficient policy framework should evaluate the existing strategies and recommend the most viable policy decision. Based on the selected policy framework, Fawcett and Russell mention that a policy is choices that society makes in light of its priorities and disposable resources (2005). Across the globe, inactivity accounts for an increasing proportion of deaths and disability, which have significant effects on health care costs and productivity (Winkleby & Cubbin, 2003). As such, the DHHS engages in developing and restructuring health policies mainly to promote healthy living and wellbeing. The population of urban dwellers in the U. S. is rising, and by 2030, it is likely to go above 85% (United Nations, 2018).

Landscape The creation of the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance (NPAP) was in response to the need to promote a healthy life and wellbeing by creating and promoting a culture of physical activity in people (NPAP, 2018). The NPAP is a national coalition of organizations supporting physical activity by championing the use of comprehensive and evidence-based approaches to healthy living. Since its establishment in 2007, the organization has not only recommended physical activity strategies but also evaluated the progress. For instance, Olscamp (2016) reported that 24% of U. S. FTA streamlines transport systems and informs a rationale to promote the physical wellbeing of urban communities through urban planning decisions. Besides, the Federal Safe Routes to School Program provides funds to construct pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure as well as encourage programs that support walking and cycling to schools.

Besides, the Active Living by Design project under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides the necessary framework to distinguish the relationship between environmental factors, policies, and physical activity. Among the issues annexed in the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) are health status and health-related quality of life as subjects of morbidity and mortality in America (CDC-BRFSS, 2019). Healthy behaviors such as physical activity and other preventive measures such as routine medical checkups are supposedly mitigating approaches to chronic conditions, mainly associated with poor lifestyle. Among the policies implemented include cross-sectoral advocacy on people walking in cities. The initial strategies include business leaders who encourage employees to commute as well as demonstrating its viability and educational facilities that avail opportunities to walk.

Other plans include mixed urban development establishing common destinations within walking distances as well as the creation of recreation facilities such as fitness facilities and playgrounds. Restructuring parking policies throughout in selected metropolitan areas as well as actively engaging in public policy development and advocacy that promote walking. The Community Preventive Services Task Force on Built Environment recommended an increase in physical activity due to negative implications of inactivity (Community Guide, 2016). The implementation of HOP is double-edged with the issuance of a land grant to universities that undertakes multidisciplinary research and education, cooperative extension systems and demonstrate the expertise in training, technical assistance, and evaluation. The other policy framework encompasses creating cooperative extensions to improve existing relationships with local communities, networks with community partners, and a wide array of county-based health education and promotional programs (CDC-ECEOPP, 2018).

The 2018 beneficiaries of the program include Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, among others. HOP has achieved limited results in the target areas because, in most cases, physical activity has received insufficient attention. According to the report issued by Trust for America’s Health (2019), disparities are severe among black and Latino children and adults who have higher obesity rates than Whites and Asians (Wunderlich & Gatto, 2016). to implement new strategies that intensify evidence-based solutions. Subsequently, a cross-sectoral engagement could be a futile approach if the policies are ineffective and the programs under-financed. The Early Childcare and Education Obesity Prevention Program is another policy that complements HOP which is implemented by the Nemours Children’s Health System. The program aims to keep children healthy and active within the ECE setting (Levy, Loy & Zatz, 2014).

Since establishment, the stakeholders have made statewide improvements in the ECE system and supported the target group of ECE providers by training and providing technical assistance on how to bolster the effectiveness of the program (CDC-ECEOPP, 2018). The program integrates evidence and practice-based strategies as well as community-based and participatory approaches to reduce health disparities in racial and ethnic communities. Also, CDC develops and implements strategies that decrease obesity and hypertension among target populations. The policy identifies and designs long term initiatives to reduce disparities in healthcare as well as promote actions that improve physical activity purposely to thwart exposure to lifestyle diseases. The REACH program has realized significant milestones, including saving money in communities by tackling the social determinants of health, especially the upstream determinants that influence health outcomes (Kums et al.

Besides, some of the programs under REACH continue to yield significant changes in the health and wellbeing of racial and ethnic communities burdened by diseases and congestion repute in urban communities. Indeed, the procedure used to qualify states for this fund such as sustainability potential, replicability, reach, and collaboration, has invariably contributed to success in the targeted states (CDC-SNAP, 2019). In Maryland, the Department of Health and mental Hygiene (DHMH) supports the programs by collaborating with the institutional stakeholders, adhering to the best practices in ECE, and developing statewide ECE tracking and reporting system. As a result, there is an improvement in nutrition, physical activity, and screen time, which together create a healthy community (Wunderlich & Gatto, 2016). Minnesota Department of Health incorporates a train-the-trainer approach to ease training and technical assistance.

These approaches increase collaboration, engagement with partners, and offer support and resources that lead to positive impacts. A combination of these factors limits the implementation of SPAN in other states where obesity and physical inactivity is rising.   Evaluation criteria The evaluation criteria describe the viability of the selected programs to address mainstream policy decisions. The process involves the analysis of the suggested approaches based on their impact on public health, program feasibility, economic and budgetary needs. The table below shows the outcomes of the evaluation process of the available policy programs. Table 1: Policy Analysis Table, Adapted from CDC, 2018 Criteria Public Health Impact Feasibility Economic Impact/cost Budgetary impact Scoring definitions Low: Small reach, effect size & impact on urban communities Medium: Small reach with large effect size or large reach with small effect size High: Large reach, effect size & impact on urban community Low: No/Small likelihood of being enacted Medium: Moderate likelihood of being enacted High: High Likelihood of being enacted Less favorable: High cost to implement Favorable: Moderate costs to implement More favorable: Low costs to implement Less favorable: Costs are high relative to benefits Favorable: Costs are moderate relative to benefits More Favorable: Costs are low relative to benefits Policy i: Walking and walkability program Low Medium High (Concerns about the amount or quality of data? (Yes / No) Low Medium High (Concerns about the amount or quality of data? (Yes / No) Less favorable Favorable More favorable (Concerns about the amount or quality of data? (Yes / No) Less favorable Favorable More favorable (Concerns about the amount or quality of data? (Yes / No) Policy ii.

Design individually targeted programs that address specific niches. Such programs should integrate physical activity into the daily routines by teaching behavioral skills such as goal setting, social support building, reward systems for successful projects as well as mitigating process relapse, and providing solutions to problems when they emerge.   iv. Promote the adoption of interventions that provide greater access to places for physical activity. Under this policy recommendation, there is a need to design, build, and increase walking or biking trails as well as avail exercise facilities at the community centers and workplaces.   viii. It is necessary to provide training to state and local staff, coalition members, and even opinion leaders on approaches to build environments as a means to increase physical activity.

The policy involves providing the urban communities with technical assistance that bolsters community engagement, coalition building, action planning, evaluation, and even identification of funds for physical activity plans. Reference Allen, L. , Williams, J. Retrieved from https://www. cdc. gov/obesity/strategies/index. html CDC - BRFSS. (2019, August 27). Received https://www. cdc. gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/span-1807/span-1807-recipients. html CDC-SNAP. State Physical Activity and Nutrition programs.  Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Retrieved from https://www. aihw. gov. au/getmedia/df392a65-8cf3-4c09-a494-4498ede2c662/aihw-bod-16. doi:10. 1007/s10903-017-0588-2 House Committee on Appropriations. (2019, 29 April). FY 2020 Labor HHS Appropriations Bill. Retrieved from https://appropriations. & Kwon, S. C. Visualizing Reach of Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health for Asian Americans: the REACH FAR Project in New York and New Jersey.