April 7, 2010

World Health Day – Making cities healthier








Every year the World Health Organization (part of the United Nations) has a different focus for their special day. This year it's “1000 cities—1000 lives.”



The WHO is calling on cities to open up streets and public spaces for health activities (like cycling in the streets and car-free day, clean-up campaigns, or fitness festivals in the park). It's also asking for nominations of “urban health champions” who have made a difference in their cities. It wants to collect 1000 such stories.

Check out the interactive WHO map to see if a city near you has registered an event. Do you live in a city? What can you do to make it healthier?

One thing that adds to a city's collective health is having a lot of opportunity for exercise. If people can safely and easily walk places as part of their daily life, that helps them keep fit. Having parks and playgrounds and fitness and recreation centers available helps. Having dance and gymnastics classes and baseball and basketball leagues helps. Cities can also offer 5- and 10-K runs and other exercise-oriented events.

You don't have to wait for your city to promote exercise! You can get more active right now, today, and for all your life!

Another help to healthful cities is having a culture of good food rather than sweet-and-fatty fast food. Are the schools in your city serving nutritious meals? Are there plenty of restaurants that offer healthy food choices? Do grocery stores provide lots of fresh produce and nutrition information? How can you encourage more healthful eating in your family, your school, and your city?

Again, don't wait for everyone else to start eating right! You can start right now. A little bit of junk food once in a while is probably fine, as long as most of the time you're doing the fresh fruits and veggies, plenty of water, lots of good protein, and whole grains.

Learn more about nutrition at this kids' website and at Kid Approved Meals.

Here's a nutrition game to play.

Oh, and here's another!

Have you heard of Oliville? Visit it to play yet another nutrition game.

I hate to suggest any more online games. Go outside and play!