Commentary: Let’s Trim Obesity, Diabetes from Our Lifestyles

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Commentary by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez

San Antonio is what the entire United States will look like in 40 years, some say.

That’s good news, but not all good. San Antonio’s large Latino population contributes immeasurably to the uniqueness and vitality of our city, just as the continued growth of the Latino population reflects our nation as a whole. At the same time, some families in our neighborhoods increasingly lack access to the kinds of neighborhood amenities that Americans rely upon to stay healthy, and face some obstacles to good health. These are challenges to health in all cities across the country.

Research has found that, some people live in areas with more fast-food restaurants and unhealthy food advertising, and higher consumption of sugary beverages, per capita. Many also tend to have less access to parks and playgrounds, grocery stores, and healthy school snacks and after-school physical activity opportunities for children.

This, in turn, contributes with high rates of obesity and diabetes.

For these reasons, researchers have long pointed to obesity and diabetes as key health threats for the South Texas community and the rest of the nation.

Thankfully, there is a growing movement to advance healthy changes that can reduce the prevalence of obesity and diabetes by making healthy food options more prevalent and expanding access to safe places for children and families to be active in their communities. And we are constantly learning more about which strategies are most effective.

For instance, we are finding that shared-use agreements, which enable schools’ facilities to be used outside of normal school hours, can improve public access to places where it’s easy to stay physically active. Recently, a shared-use agreement was put into effect in Alice, Texas, a South Texas city in a county with an obesity rate of approximately 30 percent. Through a partnership with the school district, residents of the city are now able to use a range of school-owned facilities including gyms, trails, and playgrounds, as well as football and soccer fields.

In San Antonio, we are finding that healthy changes can improve the food environment. These “healthy food financing initiatives” can include tax credits, zoning incentives, funding, technical assistance, or equipment to spur supermarkets and farmers’ markets to locate in many areas of town.

Additionally, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro also appointed a Mayor’s Fitness Council, which I am a member of, to work across public and private sectors to achieve improved health and fitness across the city. The council has developed a program to equip students to promote healthy changes at their schools, conducted summits to bring together school officials around improving wellness policies, and trained residents to lead neighborhood walking groups throughout the city.

Changes like these are models for changes in other parts of the country.

We need to enhance and expand on efforts like these to stem the tide of diabetes and obesity, thus ensuring that the future of America is healthy for a long, long time.

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, directs the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez, an internationally recognized health promotion researcher, has spent 30 years directing research on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer. Her work has addressed cancer risk factors, clinical trial recruitment, tobacco prevention, obesity prevention, healthy lifestyles, and more.