SOUND OFF: Better food access and walkable streets to combat obesity in Kamloops
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TWENTY-NINE PER CENT OF ADULTS in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region, which includes Kamloops, consider themselves overweight or obese, a recent Interior Health report reveals. That figure is the result of a complex mix of influences, from food availability and people’s understanding of nutrition, to how easy it is to stay active. On an individual level, obesity can lead to serious health complications like diabetes and heart disease. But beyond the personal impact, obesity puts pressure on Kamloops’ healthcare system. Across British Columbia as a whole, excess weight and physical inactivity are estimated to cost $5.6 billion every year in healthcare expenses and lost productivity. The good news is localized efforts can help lower obesity rates. By redesigning streets and paths to be more walkable and bikeable, residents will be more likely to get out and exercise. At the same time, improvements in food literacy and access can give locals the power to eat better and stay healthy on their own terms.
Building a walkable, bikeable Kamloops to cut obesity
Just 25 per cent of British Columbians meet the national guidelines for physical activity — that’s at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise per week. In Kamloops, the city aims to tackle this issue locally with its Active Transportation Plan Update. The scheduled updates will make it easier for residents to exercise by revamping the city’s infrastructure. For example, 100km of sidewalks will be improved or built, along with 33km of bike lanes and 97km of multi-use pathways. These changes should make walking and cycling a lot more appealing to locals, regardless of their reason for getting out and about.
Regular exercise burns calories and maintains muscle mass, which in turn supports a healthy weight. Even casual activities like walking and cycling can help with weight management, as long as you also eat a balanced diet. A three-year study actually found that people who combined some form of exercise with dieting were more likely to achieve long-term weight loss success. Some participants even maintained a weight loss of 6-to-7 per cent of their initial body weight for the study’s full duration. The key to keeping the pounds off for good is to take it slow and steady, instead of drastic dieting. Weight loss of around 0.5-1kg per week is ideal because it helps people build the healthy habits needed to keep weight off for the long term.
