Exercise is essential for physical, social, and mental well-being. All North Carolina residents need equitable access to safe areas where they can be physically active. Equitable community environments support physical activity behaviors and provide safe exercise opportunities for the entire community.  These spaces should be crime-free and accessible by public transit. They should also include safe and well-lit sidewalks, walking trails, greenways, and bike lanes.

Access to safe exercise space has been highly correlated to a community’s increased level of physical activity. Among adolescents, access has been shown to increase time spent in vigorous physical activity, and to lower obesity rates.

Regular physical activity decreases risk for premature morbidity and mortality. Regular exercise habits have been linked to improved brain health and balance in elderly populations. It can lower risk for obesity, depression, anxiety, and dementia. Conversely, lack of physical activity can lead to serious chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. To reduce risk of chronic disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults engage in 150 minutes of physical exercise/physical activity per week, and children engage in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical exercise per day.  2022 NC SHIP, pg. 52.

Multiple factors can impact individual access to exercise opportunities. These factors include income, race/ethnicity, geography, and disabilities. Low-income communities may have fewer parks and recreational facilities, in contrast to more affluent communities.  People of color are less likely to live near parks. Compared to metropolitan populations, residents of rural areas face additional barriers to activity opportunities.  Finally, parks and recreational facilities may lack appropriate accommodations for individuals with physical disabilities, rendering these areas inaccessible to this population.

 Dialogue from the 2022 NC State Health Improvement Plan Community Council Meeting and Symposia

• How is equity defined, and how do you measure it?
• How is accessibility defined, and how do you measure it? Equity and access to be able to measure it?
• How is the impact of infrastructure, like walking trails, measured?
• There is a grading system for community parks that has a checklist and looks at who has access, is equipment ADA, are wheelchair swings available, safety and disrepair of the equipment, and the timing of those that are using the park.

Policies and investment are needed to support development and expansion of community parks, transit options, sidewalk improvements, and to increase the number of greenways, walking trails and bike paths.

Community partners such as childcare facilities, schools, churches, and workplaces provide essential services and infrastructure, in promoting access to physical activities. Supporting the efforts of these entities can improve access for all citizens. The COVID-19 pandemic affected physical access to facilities and interrupted the efforts of some community partnerships. Improved capabilities for partnering and providing for safe distancing will help to promote the reemergence and increased potential for robust equitable access to exercise opportunities for all. 2022 NC SHIP, pg. 54

• Adopt “Complete Streets” policies
• Expand transit services to provide access to places for physical activity
• Increase access to evidenced-based and informed interventions that support physical activity in childcare, schools, churches, workplaces and other community-based settings
• Increase number of biking trails and lanes, walking trails, and greenways
• Increase number of and access to community parks, particularly in rural areas
• Increase the number of joint use/open use policy agreements for school playground facilities
• Maintain safe and well-lit sidewalks
• Provide public access to municipal recreation facilities
• Support community walking clubs and public fitness classes

County Health Rankings and Roadmaps - Business Analyst, Delorme map data, ESRI, & US Census Tiger line Files *Should not compare ranked data from year to year

Work with the city and/or county planning department to identify locations in your community that are used for physical activity and select or create your own measure(s).

• Walk-ability/Bike-ability of any location - https://www.walkscore.com/
• How to assess your community’s environment, physical activity -https://activelivingresearch.org/toolsandresources/toolsandmeasures