OKC 3rd to last in fitness rating

[Pete]

A lot of these lists come out but this one is highly regarded with credible sources and hard data.

This is one area where Oklahoma City and the entire state continues to lag, and it's a significant quality of life issue.

The last graphic is for Denver, which is in the same general area of the country and similar in terrain. Yes, Denver has the mountains nearby but as we've discussed before it's probably the best model for OKC in lots of attainable ways.

In my opinion, MAPS 4 should be all about public transportation, sidewalks and recreation. Time to get serious about improving the health of the community.

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http://americanfitnessindex.org/

Executive Summary
With support and funding from the WellPoint Foundation in 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) launched the ACSM American Fitness IndexTM (AFI) program in 2008 to help communities identify opportunities to improve the health of their residents and expand community assets to better support active, healthy lifestyles. The AFI reflects a composite of personal health measures, preventive health behaviors, levels of chronic disease conditions, as well as environmental and community resources and policies that support physical activity. In addition, demographic and economic diversity are included for each metropolitan area to illustrate the unique attributes of each city. Communities with the highest AFI scores are considered to have strong community fitness, a concept analogous to individuals having strong personal fitness.

The 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget using data from the U.S. Census Annual Estimates of Population, were included in this 2014 data report for the AFI program. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were chosen as the unit of measurement because they represent the group of counties comprising the larger urban areas where residents live, work and access community resources.

The AFI program is unique for several reasons:
• Cities are defined by MSAs;
• Personal health indicators, as well as community and environmental indicators, are included
in the data report;
• Data come from reputable sources, and scientific methodologies are used to ensure validity and reliability;
• Unique areas of strength and opportunities for improvement are included for each MSA to help
guide community action;
• Materials, resources and connections to health promotion partners are provided by the AFI program to
help cities improve their indicators; and
• Local, state and national health promotion partners form a network to support collaborative program efforts.

The first step in creating the report for the AFI program involved developing a strategy to identify, gather, analyze and present MSA-level data on the population, health and built environment of the communities. Measures were identified, assessed and scored by a national expert panel for inclusion into an index to compare each MSA’s attributes with the overall U.S. values and with the other large metropolitan areas. Based on the comparisons to benchmarks, suggested areas of excellence and improvement priority areas for each MSA were noted.

There was considerable diversity in community fitness levels among the 50 MSAs. Cities that ranked near the top of the index have more strengths that support healthy living and fewer challenges that hinder it. The opposite is true for cities near the bottom of the index. All cities are commended for their areas of excellence and encouraged to focus future efforts on their improvement priority areas to achieve a healthy and active population.

DENVER (for comparison):

[BBatesokc]

Its a shame - this is mostly a result of personal choice. I've personally found it doesn't have to cost any more to eat healthy and getting exercise can be as easy as putting on your sneakers and running through your community. Of course, that would also entail not drinking Super Big Gulps, going to fast food to eat off the dollar menu, stop patronizing restaurants that super size everything and turning off the TV or computer and actually moving around --- forget it, we are doomed!

[bchris02]

Sidewalks should be made mandatory on all new or reconstructed roads, no exceptions. Most other cities do it, why not OKC?

This city would also hugely benefit from having more neighborhood parks. Beyond that, education is the ultimate solution. More educated communities generally have lower rates of smoking and fast food consumption.

[Pete]

Its a shame - this is mostly a result of personal choice. I've personally found it doesn't have to cost any more to eat healthy and getting exercise can be as easy as putting on your sneakers and running through your community. Of course, that would also entail not drinking Super Big Gulps, going to fast food to eat off the dollar menu, stop patronizing restaurants that super size everything and turning off the TV or computer and actually moving around --- forget it, we are doomed!

It's all about local culture and that starts with infrastructure.

In cities where there has been large investment in recreation and public transport, people make better personal choices.

[OKCisOK4me]

Baby steps...

Meaning that the Mayor has to literally command his troops to lose weight and stay healthy. The majority or Oklahomans aren't going to do it on their own.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

[Just the facts]

Sidewalks should be made mandatory on all new or reconstructed roads, no exceptions. Most other cities do it, why not OKC?

This city would also hugely benefit from having more neighborhood parks. Beyond that, education is the ultimate solution. More educated communities generally have lower rates of smoking and fast food consumption.

In sprawl who would use those sidewalks? No one is going to walk 2 miles round trip to a grocery store next to traffic doing 50 mph no matter how nice the sidewalk is. It seems far too many people want all the benefits, decision making, healthy living, and cost-saving of urbanism - without building urban neighborhoods. It doesn't work that way. You build sprawl and the car becomes mandatory and walking... well... takes a walk.

[bchris02]

In sprawl who would use those sidewalks? No one is going to walk 2 miles round trip to a grocery store no matter how nice the sidewalk is.

Ever been to Phoenix? It's just as auto-centric as OKC is, yet sidewalks are mandatory there and it really pays off. The city is laid out in a mile-grid pattern like OKC and its quite common for people to walk from their homes up to their corner shopping center on a nice day. The development is not Walkable(TM) per say, but people can and do walk. Upon moving to OKC, it was quite a culture shock to discover that most areas of the city - even older neighborhoods - don't have sidewalks. In most cities people take them for granted.

[Pete]

Most the new housing divisions and streets have sidewalks. The problem is 90% of the what was built previously did not include them, so they have to be retro-fitted.

Also, we are not putting bike lanes in anywhere other than a very concentrated urban area. You literally can't ride your bike from most places in Oklahoma City unless you want to ride down the middle of an existing lane, which no one is going to do.

[Just the facts]

Ever been to Phoenix? It's just as auto-centric as OKC is, yet sidewalks are mandatory there and it really pays off. The city is laid out in a mile-grid pattern like OKC and its quite common for people to walk from their homes up to their corner shopping center on a nice day. The development is not Walkable(TM) per say, but people can and do walk. Upon moving to OKC, it was quite a culture shock to discover that most areas of the city - even older neighborhoods - don't have sidewalks. In most cities people take them for granted.

I am going to call BS on your Phoenix comment. I have been many times and the only people walking are homeless or have car trouble.

Phoenix Walk Score

[Bunty]

Sidewalks should be made mandatory on all new or reconstructed roads, no exceptions. Most other cities do it, why not OKC?

Right. Stillwater for the most part has sidewalks on at least one side of its major streets. I think Stillwater requires a sidewalk be built when a vacant lot is developed, if it can be connected to an existing sidewalk already next to it. North Perkins Rd. won't have any gaps in the sidewalks, once all the vacant lots get developed. Of course, someone is anxious to point out that Stillwater is car dependent with a walk score of 33.

[BBatesokc]

It's all about local culture and that starts with infrastructure.

In cities where there has been large investment in recreation and public transport, people make better personal choices.

True, but we have plenty of 'infrastructure' for individuals and families to live healthy/healthier lives IF they make the personal choice to do so. Waiting for more/better infrastructure is a copout IMO. Utilize what we've got now and support the addition of more.

Do I want to see more improvement? Most definitely, and I will utilize much of it (can't wait for the rafting and the jogging/biking trails to be finished).

That said, we make a conscience choice to eat healthy (that infrastructure is here already - but always room for improvement). We make the choice to utilize our YMCA membership, and we purchase things like Zoo memberships and Adventure Zone passes so we always have fun healthy and active choice/activities to indulge in.

Our neighborhood has zero sidewalks, but most every morning when I run I see at least 4-8 other people doing the exact same thing (and that's at 6am). The dog walkers are all day non-spot around here.

Our previous neighborhood was all sidewalks on both sides of the street. We'd never see anyone else out walking when we went running or dog walking.

I really would love to see the river area developed more and to become really full of active life like in Austin. When we go there, we literally have traffic jams of people walking, jogging and biking. And, you pass half a dozen active volley ball games and dog owners throwing frisbees.

Its definitely local culture and ours is pretty lazy.

[Pete]

Since the lack of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes is so pervasive and overwhelming, it seems a short-term solution would be to create a network of collectors rather than try to solve this problem all at once.

If we could build a handful of long pedestrian and bike paths that radiate into all sectors of the city, that would be a good start. More or less start with main collectors that could later be fed by branching out.

[Bunty]

Ever been to Phoenix? It's just as auto-centric as OKC is, yet sidewalks are mandatory there and it really pays off. The city is laid out in a mile-grid pattern like OKC and its quite common for people to walk from their homes up to their corner shopping center on a nice day. The development is not Walkable(TM) per say, but people can and do walk. Upon moving to OKC, it was quite a culture shock to discover that most areas of the city - even older neighborhoods - don't have sidewalks. In most cities people take them for granted.

Why walk and pour with sweat in 100+ degree heat when you got an air conditioned car?

[bchris02]

Since the lack of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes is so pervasive and overwhelming, it seems a short-term solution would be to create a network of collectors rather than try to solve this problem all at once.

If we could build a handful of long pedestrian and bike paths that radiate into all sectors of the city, that would be a good start. More or less start with main collectors that could later be fed by branching out.

That's why I say whenever a new road is built or repaved, it should be mandatory that a sidewalk be built. NW 122nd between May and Portland was repaved in the last year for instance. It would have been so nice if they would have added sidewalks but they didn't. It's the same story all over the metro.

[BBatesokc]

Since the lack of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes is so pervasive and overwhelming, it seems a short-term solution would be to create a network of collectors rather than try to solve this problem all at once.

If we could build a handful of long pedestrian and bike paths that radiate into all sectors of the city, that would be a good start. More or less start with main collectors that could later be fed by branching out.

I have to say, I'm always shocked at the number of people who utilize the median sidewalks around SW 36 and S. Robinson Ave (no, not hookers). I always see kids on bikes, couples and families and everyday the HS track students are running back and forth. I really like how they are done - in the media with plenty of room separating you from the cars. The only thing I don't like is the cyclists seem to think they don't have to stop when they come to the intersections with actual roads - they just fly straight through.

[bchris02]

Why walk and pour with sweat in 100+ degree heat when you got an air conditioned car?

First, Phoenix heat is a dry heat. Being out and about when temperatures are in the 90s is quite comfortable. Secondly, winters there are beautiful.

[Pete]

True, but we have plenty of 'infrastructure' for individuals and families to live healthy/healthier lives IF they make the personal choice to do so. Waiting for more/better infrastructure is a copout IMO. Utilize what we've got now and support the addition of more.

Yes, but if you want to effect change across an entire community you can't just rely on individuals to get it into gear.

Some never will but if you create the infrastructure it changes the culture and there are plenty of people who will be positively affected by that.

It's a bit chicken and egg, but you have to start somewhere and this is not a new or unique problem. The communities that have invested in recreation have seen a direct correlation to improved public health.


There is a whole separate discussion about the smoking laws, but I know that will just completely derail this thread.

[Bunty]

First, Phoenix heat is a dry heat. Being out and about when temperatures are in the 90s is quite comfortable. Secondly, winters there are beautiful.

Just as I figured you would say.

[Plutonic Panda]

In sprawl who would use those sidewalks? No one is going to walk 2 miles round trip to a grocery store next to traffic doing 50 mph no matter how nice the sidewalk is. It seems far too many people want all the benefits, decision making, healthy living, and cost-saving of urbanism - without building urban neighborhoods. It doesn't work that way. You build sprawl and the car becomes mandatory and walking... well... takes a walk.

When there is sidewalks, I do.

[Pete]

Even in sprawl areas where there isn't a lot to walk to in the immediate area, sidewalks are great for running and biking.

When I'm in OKC I stay with my good friend who lives out in Oak Tree and thus I drive through Edmond and Far North OKC quite a bit. And in those areas you see lots of people out running and biking on the sidewalks. There are miles of nice sidewalks along Kelly and I always see people on them; they are also a way to get to Mitch Park and more recreation.

[AP]

When there is sidewalks, I do.

Regardless of what you do, the majority of people don't.

[bchris02]

Regardless of what you do, the majority of people don't.

Even if some do though who otherwise wouldn't, it would improve the health ranking for the entire city.

[Pete]

One thing that OKC could do almost immediately: Appoint a Health Czar.

Pay and empower a person and/or small group to drive health and recreation initiatives, coordinate all the various citizen groups and be a public spokesperson for more healthy choices.

Similar to what we did with the Economic Development Trust, just for health and recreation.


It's time to get serious about this issue if OKC wants to continue to progress. Doing a bunch of small, incremental things is not going to result in significant changes any time soon. Time to get some perspective on this issue and admit it's a serious problem (opportunity).

[warreng88]

I think the biggest issue is changing people's mindset to be active and that is going to take some time. You are not going to just plop down miles of bike lanes and sidewalks and all of a sudden everyone is going to abandon their car and start walking everywhere. I would, but most people are not going to because that is not what they are used to. Also, the lack of mass transit and the reliability of it does not help because people are going to drive their car to Wal-Mart and park 20 feet from the door instead of begin able to take a bus which would require walking to the bus stop and then walking from the bus stop to Wal-Mart and back and reverse the cycle. Once the streetcar gets up and running, more sidewalks are built as part of MAPS3 and the 07 GO Bond, a RTA is established and the bus system is better, I think we will see OKC go higher on that list.

[HangryHippo]

In sprawl who would use those sidewalks? No one is going to walk 2 miles round trip to a grocery store next to traffic doing 50 mph no matter how nice the sidewalk is. It seems far too many people want all the benefits, decision making, healthy living, and cost-saving of urbanism - without building urban neighborhoods. It doesn't work that way. You build sprawl and the car becomes mandatory and walking... well... takes a walk.

Exactly. This is a huge part of our problem. This and laziness.