In Snohomish County, where 60 percent of adults are overweight or obese, two new efforts are under way to encourage people to shape up.
A specialist from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been assigned to the Snohomish Health District for two years to coordinate Healthy Community efforts one of just 24 local or state health jurisdictions to be selected for this program.
“I’m thrilled about that,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District. It’s always difficult to find extra funding to help pay for disease prevention efforts, he said.
Healthy Communities is a national movement to promote healthy living through efforts such as adding parks, walking paths and community gardens and encouraging good nutrition.
With 19 cities in Snohomish County plus the county’s unincorporated areas, “getting additional resources is of tremendous help,” Goldbaum said.
The announcement comes at a time when Lynnwood has joined the Healthy Communities movement. It’s the second Snohomish County city to do so.
The need for these efforts has been underscored by several recent reports that found adults and children are increasingly out of shape.
In May, a Snohomish Health District report found that 60 percent of adults meet the standards for being either overweight or obese. And the proportion of overweight or obese adults has nearly doubled over the past decade.
In February, a University of Washington report found that almost one in four eighth, 10th and 12th graders in Washington is overweight.
Healthy Communities is one of the efforts being made in Snohomish County to try to combat these trends.
The goal is for people to become more active and make better eating choices, Goldbaum said.
Exercise and healthy eating doesn’t just help people lose weight. Healthy habits can also help prevent serious diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Marysville was the first city in the county to sign up for Healthy Communities.
This summer, the city’s parks and recreation department added low-cost programs to encourage physical activity by children and adults.
Volunteers are working on a variety of other projects, too, such as developing community gardens, adding trails and streets that are connected for bicycling, and developing a meal program for seniors.
Lynnwood wants to begin work on its Healthy Community plan in September, said Lynn Sordel, the city’s director of parks, recreation and cultural arts.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity,” he said. “It’s an amazing program.”
Sordel said he went to Moses Lake to see the program that’s been developed there over the past five years.
“It’s changed that community,” Sordel said. “You can get anywhere in Moses Lake on a trail, bike path or walking path. They’ve linked the community, all done by citizens working on it.”
Some of the projects that Lynnwood could undertake could include improving menu options at schools and finding opportunities for more bicycle, foot and joggings paths.
“This is really exciting for the city and community,” Sordel said. “There’s some great things that can happen with this program.
“There’s no question about it, it should be a lot of fun,” he added.
Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
How to help
For more information on Lynnwood’s Healthy Communities campaign, or to volunteer, call 425-744-6474
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