7 Case Studies on Successful Physical Activity Campaigns

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Communities and organizations play a role in developing policies and programs to support walking, biking, physical activity, and healthy communities.

Whether for recreation, transportation, work, or household, physical activity improves mental and physical health and reduces risk for chronic disease.

In order to reduce health disparities, it is important for communities to ensure that all residents have access to safe places to walk, bike, play and be active where they live, learn, work, play, pray, according to a Salud America! research review.

Check out these seven case studies from Voices 4 Healthy Kids and Safe Routes to School National Partnership. They demonstrate successful state- and local-level campaigns to increase physical activity, through active transportation funding, safer routes, Complete Streets, shared use, and environmental justice policies.

With these case studies are numerous other resources, such as talking points and social media messages, lobbying materials, and graphics.

“These case studies offer important takeaways and lessons learned for organizations and communities that are working to support healthy, active, and fair communities that offer everyone the opportunity to safely walk, bike, and be physically active in daily life,” according to Voices 4 Healthy Kids.

We share case studies that we call Salud Hero stories.

Here are some great stories on healthy change to enable more green spaces and physical activity:

• • Dante Jones of San Antonio started a monthly bike ride in his neighborhood. Then he started “Roll Models” to incorporate the physical activity of biking with lessons on overcoming life’s challenges. “We would like to train teenagers to become Roll Models in their own neighborhood,” Jones said. “Because there’s nothing like having a physical role model who grew up and came out of what you came out of, to be able to set the example for you.”
  • George Block of San Antonio created a literal “gateway” to promote family use of school parks and playground. “We want every kid to have the opportunity to be an athlete. Kids won’t be an athlete, if they don’t get started someplace,” Block said.
  • Juan Tarango of Tempe, Arizona, created a comprehensive bike maintenance and bike safety curriculum with time for instruction and hands-on experience. “Biking opens the door to discover your neighborhood and your city,” Tarango said.

Case studies are an incredible tool to tell real-life problem solving stories. Spread the word!