Broomfield helps citizens eat less, move more

BROOMFIELD – The city of Broomfield wants its citizens to be healthy. So it has joined forces with America on the Move, a nonprofit organization with a goal for people to improve their health by making small changes – eat 100 fewer calories and to walk 2,000 more steps each day.

America on the Move began in Colorado with Colorado on the Move, a program created by James Hill, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and director of the Center for Human Nutrition, and John Peters, director of the Nutrition Science Institute, part of Procter & Gamble Co.

According to America on the Move statistics, 64.5 percent of adult Americans are overweight, and nearly 31 percent are obese. Twenty-five percent of American adults are not physically active, and 60 percent don’t get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

While Colorado tends to have a healthier population than other states, medical professionals still are seeing an increase in obesity, said Helen Thompson, director of Colorado on the Move.

Karen Stuart, Broomfield mayor, attended a seminar at which Hill spoke. Afterwards she got involved with America on the Move and saw the difference it made in her own life. The Broomfield City Council decided to make it a priority for 2006 to make the city’s residents healthier. According to Stuart, Broomfield is one of the first cities in the U.S. that addresses a healthy lifestyle in its comprehensive plan.

Broomfield is one of two communities Colorado on the Move is working with through a three-year grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The goal is to make Broomfield an America on the Move community, which means concepts of healthy living are advocated throughout the city – in schools and businesses.

The city promotes America on the Move to its residents with signs at parking lots reminding drivers to park farther away as a way to add more activity to the day. The signs carry the slogan, “Park far away for 2,000 more steps a day.” Additional signs at the most distant parking spots inform drivers how many steps they will add by parking there and walking.

Over the summer Broomfield offered a variety of walking programs for its residents to increase their step count, such as group walks through the Broomfield County Commons each Saturday, moonlight walks during a full or new moon and morning preschool nature walks.

According to Michelle Liebig, coordinator for Broomfield’s America on the Move initiative, the Health and Human Services Department will be working with schools, work sites, restaurants, health-care providers and church groups to promote the programs in multiple sectors.

“We want to help individuals and communities improve the quality of their lives by moving a little more and eating a little less,” Liebig said.

One example of this effort is Broomfield’s partnership with Pulte in its Del Webb Anthem community. About 40 residents are participating in a six-week program that kicked off July 29. Participants received step counters, quick-start guides and T-shirts. The group is tracking its progress either online or on paper and will meet with Broomfield for a re-evaluation in mid-September. Exempla Good Samaritan Hospital will be helping track resident’s health with monthly screenings that currently include body fat analysis and blood pressure checks. It plans to offer cholesterol and bone density screenings in the future.

Scott Hysler, lifestyle and programs director for Pulte Homes, said Anthem has walking clubs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Anthem’s walking program and involvement with America on the Move recently was featured on CNBC.

Hysler said Pulte participates with America on the Move because it fits right in with the active lifestyle promoted in their community.

Colorado on the Move’s Thompson also encourages policy and environmental changes to help maintain interest in the community. Putting bike racks in convenient areas and filling vending machines in parks and recreation facilities with wholesome snacks are ways the city encourages healthy living. In the workplace managers can encourage employees to walk on their breaks. In dealing with their customers, businesses can promote walking by offering discounts to customers wearing pedometers and by providing maps of walking routes.

Anyone can find a way to participate, Stuart said. “Our mission is to encourage people to do what they can.” Broomfield, she said, hopes to inspire other communities to encourage their residents to adapt a healthful lifestyle.

Those interested in participating in America on the Move can register as an individual or group on the American on the Move Web site at www.americaonthemove.org. The site provides tools for participants to track their progress, like using a virtual version of the Appalachian Trail to chart their steps. They can also get menu item tips, recipes and calorie counters from the site.

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