The American Heart Association and NFL Play 60 plan to release a new fitness app for kids just in time for Super Bowl XLVIII (2014). The app, which is free, seeks to get kids to be more active and participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity everyday. Because smartphones carry the capacity to capture motion, the team sees this technology as the perfect way to measure activity levels while keeping kids excited about moving. The app is very much like a video game in that it allows users to choose an avatar (digital character) and complete a virtual running experience. It's designed to be interactive so kids will be able to rake up points in order to unlock new outfits for their avatars. The app will also provide kids with ideas for staying active. In the past the ...
Children will now have the opportunity to bike safely to school thanks to a first-of-it's kind protected bike lane installed near Zilker Elementary in Austin, TX. An article from DC.Streetsblog.org reports that the location of this new bike lane is what make it unique. Typically bike lanes are installed in high-traffic, downtown areas, but this one was installed specifically to get more children biking. According to Austin's bicycle program manager, Chad Crager, that's exactly what's happening. He says that prior to installing the bike lane only two students biked to school. Now up to 40 students bike to school. Although some parents initially had their doubts about the project, which took away a parking lane from the school, parents have now taken a liking to it and say that ...
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of America to improve the health and wellness of kids in out-of-school time settings. In this new initiative, leading food companies and purchasing organizations have agreed to extend the discounts and services they offer schools, to out-of-school time programs. Participating food companies have agreed to offer healthy foods that meet the Alliance for a Healthier Generation guidelines and USDA nutrition standards at prices no higher than comparable products that are less healthy. Along with these price adjustments, out-of-school time programs could save 10 – 20 percent on their food and beverage purchasing. More than 15% of American youth are involved in after-school programs and ...
Many neighborhoods in Lawrence, Kansas, where Latinos make up the largest minority group, haven't had access to a full-service grocery store in years. In northern Lawrence the situation has gotten so bad that the area is declared a USDA food desert, a low-income neighborhood where the closest grocery store is more than 2 miles away. While the community and business leaders work on getting a grocery store into the neighborhood, city officials decided that if they couldn't get fresh produce to come to Lawrence, they would start growing their own. The Common Ground Program, created by the City of Lawrence in 2012, is a community gardening and urban agriculture program that seeks to transform vacant or under-utilized city properties into vibrant sites of healthy food production ...
A food bank in Sarasota County is now able to bring fresh, healthy food to front doors. Private-sector donations have enabled the All Faiths Food Bank to purchase a refrigerated truck, named Sprout, for transporting and delivering fresh fruits and vegetables to folks who need them. The custom-made vehicle is designed so people can walk inside the storage area to select their goods. A retractable shelter on the side of the truck will allow food bank employees to offer cooking demonstrations and provide other tips for healthy eating. Customers who qualify for assistance will be given vouchers, so they can choose fruits and vegetables themselves. Read more ...
Washington Governor Jay Inslee has announced his health care agenda for 2014, and set reducing and preventing childhood obesity as a top priority. One proposal would lead to revised health and fitness standards for schools. It would also deploy experts in state government to work with K-12 schools, preschools, and maternity-care programs, encouraging healthful practices such as breast feeding. Read more ...
According to a dallasnews.com article, plans are underway for an important hike-and-bike trail expansion to the Hutton Branch trail in Carrollton, Tx. The project will include the construction of a pedestrian bridge which will connect to the county's DART Green Line rail system, providing pedestrians of all ages with an alternative means of transportation. City officials from the Dallas suburb of Carrollton began working on the trail system in 2004 and have since continued to expand it by sections. Recently, a new section of the Hutton Branch hike-and-bike trail was opened, making the trail's current length 11 miles. Carrollton's trail projects are all part of a larger plan to create an expansive network of trails that connects 10 counties and 117 cities. Regional planners refer to ...
The California Food Policy Council, a network of 19 groups around the state, wants to persuade legislators to pass laws that would support sustainable agriculture and safeguard soil and water quality for large and small farmers. The idea, organizers say, is to make healthful, affordable food options available for low-income urban dwellers, schoolchildren, and others. The council published a report in January 2014 that outlined bills related to food policy that were tracked in the California legislature in the past year. Read the report here. The California Food Policy Council is supported by Roots of Change, a collaborative network of leaders and institutions in California with interest in establishing a sustainable food system in the state. Read more ...
A new bridge in El Paso will now allow pedestrians to get from downtown to the Union Plaza Entertainment District in just twenty minutes! What used to be a four-lane road is now being re-purposed into a two-lane road with a brightly colored pedestrian walkway adjacent to it. Artwork will be used as a buffer to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic. Along with the Durango bridge improvements, the city will be adding artwork, benches and lighting to the north end of the El Paso Convention Center. Read the full El Paso Times news article here. ...
