Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in the Community - Essay Example

Obesity connotes a health condition in which there is an abnormal or an excessive accumulation of fat in the fatty tissues of the skin and whose severity might cause an impairment to health (Defining Obesity, n.d.). The disease started affecting some human beings when hunters and gathers evolved, changed their lifestyles to become agriculturalists and started constructing cities (Truswell, 2013). This change in lifestyle allowed the minority group of rich people to consume as much food as they desired, hence led to weight problems amongst the rich. This condition has proved to be a growing epidemic in the world. In 2015, 17% of children (2-19), 8% of young children (2-5) and 30% of adults globally were considered to be obese and hence were at a high risk of health-related problems (Levi et al., 2015). The rates of obesity showed a sharp increase between the years 1980 to 2000. The rates in adults had doubled while in children the rates have more than tripled during the stated time. The year 2000 saw the initialization of the awareness against the epidemic and counteractive measures have been put in place to curb the disease. Different counter-measures have and are being implemented to solve the alarming problem. The measures put in place to curb obesity have however been slow in action since rates of obesity have still remained on the rise (Oliver, 2006). This essay will look into the measures put in place to combat the epidemic and in particular how engineers have contributed to increased physical activity and improved the population’s health.

In the United States, walking and cycling are ignored as efficient travel options. Older cities have shown a significant percentage of walking and cycling in transport while the new and modern cities have shown minimal contribution to the same. The distances between the people and their destinations have mainly contributed to the minimal usage of the two modes of transport (The CDC Guide to Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in the Community, 2011). In addition to this, transport designs that either prevent walking or put cyclers and pedestrians against traffic also contribute to the low usage. Engineers have sought to solve this problem by showing how different modes of walking and bicycling can be pushed into the transport systems. First, the two modes can be used as primary modes. If people are given adequate encouragement, they can use walking and bicycling as primary modes of transport instead of using cars. Second, if again given adequate encouragement, the modes can be used as feeder modes to rideshare when longer trips are in place. Third, the modes can be used in circulation as a conventional mode of transport (Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities, n.d.).

Engineers have ensured that more sidewalks and bicycle lanes are being incorporated into transport systems. One opportunistic way through which they have achieved this by constructing the lanes and sidewalks when sewers are being repaired and streets are being paved. This ensures that the people have less of an option but to use walking or bicycling as modes of transport. Additionally, wider sidewalks are being constructed since studies show that less traffic amongst the pedestrians on sidewalks will encourage more walking and bicycling. Moreover, handicapped people, for example those using wheel chairs are also taken into consideration during the construction. Electrical engineers have made efforts to provide lighting on sidewalks to ensure that people have an assurance of safety when using the sidewalks at night. Furthermore, during the construction of sidewalks, buffer zones have been put in place to separate pedestrians and vehicles in order to reduce accidents and also promote walking especially among hearing and vision impaired pedestrians. Restrooms and recreational facilities are being incorporated into designing sidewalks such that pedestrians’ comfort-ability is ensured. (Burden et al., 2011). Studies show that effective land use mix (constructing different facilities such as schools, supermarkets etcetera in one location), can increase physical activity thereby improving health (Burden et al., 2011). This has prompted engineers to ensure more land use mix since the studies further prove that people are more likely to walk or cycle if their destinations are located nearby. Additionally, residential buildings are being designed in such a way that ground floors are used for businesses while the higher floors are used for residence. This makes residents take the stairs to access the business activities thereby increasing physical activity. More recreational facilities such as playgrounds and parks are also being constructed to achieve the set goal of ensuring that every neighbourhood has an active leisure facility in a 10-minute walk (Burden et al., 2011).

Recreational facilities such as playgrounds have been redesigned with colour and paintings in order to entice more children into playing more often. Studies have showed that playgrounds redesigned with colour have shown more playing activities by children as compared to plain play grounds. Moreover, constructors have also designed stairways in such a way that people are encouraged to use them more often. One such way is by painting the staircases using bright colours and writing motivational messages along the stairs that encourage people to use the stairs instead of elevators. The stairs are also fitted with proper handles and rubber to ensure the safety of the users. More grocery stores are strategically being constructed near neighbourhoods and workplaces since studies show that neighbourhoods with grocery stores have low obesity cases while neighbourhoods with many fast food centres have high cases of obesity (Burden et al., 2011). Additionally, more road signs indicating route maps and calories burnt are being strategically placed at transit points in order to prompt pedestrians to take the healthier choice of walking or cycling more often (Burden et al., 2011). During road construction, more traffic lights and zebra crossings are put up on the roads to ensure the safety of pedestrians in an effort to promote more walking. More shelters are being created along roads to protect pedestrians from wind, excess heat from the sun and rain. In addition to this, the shelters are furnished to enable pedestrians to sit and offer places where they can lean in for those who have the problem of standing for long hours.

Engineers have been coming up with new innovative technology and machines to help people in managing their weight. One such technology is developing websites that are used to create awareness. An example is the SMART Facebook page which during Halloween carries out campaigns against improper dieting. Participants are asked to avoid the consumption of confectionaries (Patrick et al., 2014). They are also encouraged to concentrate their time more on the physical part of going from house to house rather than eating the candy collected. The campaigns ask participants to pledge against eating candy and come up with plans to achieve the pledge. The participants can later share their experiences and challenges in fulfilling the pledge made on the webpage. This has made people who are obese to feel that they are part of a community that can help them manage their condition. Furthermore, the webpage has a SMART health coach who gives timely feedback to the participants concerning their interactions and the achievements made. Participants are often encouraged to visit the webpage weekly (Patrick et al., 2014).Software engineers have developed weight managing applications to help manage the condition. An example is Goal Getter, an application designed to run on mobile smartphones for the SMART study. The mobile app allows users to monitor their behaviour and to keep track of their weight management progress. It also shows weekly set goals on the SMART Facebook page. For example, the page can set a goal of losing a specified number of pounds in a given period of time. This increases the physical activity of the participants as they try to shed off the specified weight, which in turn helps them to live a healthier life. In this way, participants are reminded of their goals and weight management progress without the direct online access of the webpage. The app is programmed to encourage the user to set realistic and achievable goals. It also has a platform that allows friends to the participants to assist in setting up and achieving weight management goals. For example, the friends to the participant can promise a reward of a healthy treat on achieving the set goal (Patrick et al., 2014). This encourages the participants in a fun and interactive way, to manage their condition.

As discussed above, it is clearly evident that engineers have contributed a great deal in trying to solve the obesity epidemic in the world. Engineers are creating and implementing new ways to increase physical activity worldwide in an effort to improve health. As much as engineers are trying to curb the epidemic, more jointed efforts from other sectors of the economy are required in order to completely eradicate the epidemic.