The American Planning Association (APA) today released preliminary findings of a nationwide survey to measure how communities can create opportunities for citizens to be more physically active. Findings show that local elected officials in communities of every size are beginning to recognize the importance of community design as it affects the physical activity and health of residents. But the survey also found numerous barriers that must be eliminated before physical activity can become a regular element in the community planning process.

"We found a growing awareness that cities and towns designed around the automobile have a direct and negative affect on public health," said Marya Morris, AICP, senior research associate for APA who directed the survey. "Elected officials want to address the issue, but most still haven't made the connection between community planning and public health," Morris added.

APA surveyed 10,000 public agency planners in communities of every size and location. Preliminary results from over 1,000 communities show that:

• Sixty-four percent of respondents indicated the physical activity of residents is either an emerging or important issue for elected and appointed officials in their jurisdiction.
• While most jurisdictions had undertaken measures to make communities more activity-friendly, most jurisdictions have not yet formed partnerships between community planners and public health agencies. Only eight percent of respondents indicated they had collaborated with the public health office in their jurisdiction.
• Respondents agreed that "not regarding physical activity goals as a planning issue" was the number one barrier to incorporating physical activity goals and objectives into plans, projects, and regulations.

Skyrocketing rates of obesity and related illnesses like cardiovascular disease and diabetes have led public health professionals to take a closer look at how the built environment deters people from engaging in physical activity. They soon recognized the connection to community planning and design.

"By their nature, comprehensive plans and land development regulations address a broad scope of community issues - like transportation, open space preservation, and urban design - which impact the physical activity of residents," noted Morris. "By integrating public health and community planning, we can redesign communities in a way that encourages and allows residents to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines."

But, even in jurisdictions where elected officials recognize the connection, survey results found that limited resources prevent planners from doing much to address public health issues. Like most local government agencies, planning departments perpetually are faced with dwindling budgets. Thirteen percent of respondents admitted the primary reason they could not incorporate physical activity issues was that doing so would divert resources from other departmental goals.

Much of the collaboration between public health and community planning therefore is taking place on the national level. APA, for example, joined the Active Living Network, a project of the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to bring together community leaders devoted to creating places that support physical activity. In 2001, the Foundation engaged APA to conduct the survey, the full results of which are being incorporated into a Planning Advisory Service report scheduled for release in April, 2004.

A summary of the preliminary results is available from APA Public Affairs. Contact Chris Cooper at (202) 349-1007 or ccooper@planning.org.