As mentioned in the prior post, the integral value of schools to a local community cannot be underestimated. The same can be said for nutrition, which is often complicated and misunderstood due to a lack of information, access to healthy foods, or other social factors. As such, cooperation between schools and local communities is essential in preventing diseases that are associated with poor nutrition such as obesity (Weihrauch-Blüher & Wiegand, 2018). While the author outlines underlying issues such as education gaps, economic difficulties, and other social factors they do not provide any specific approaches to resolving the overarching issue of childhood obesity. Community-wide education is essential as it provides a fundamental understanding of disease prevention and is less costly for individuals in difficult financial situations (World Health Organization, 2018). This includes the provision of information from exports from early childhood nutrition to being more conscious about the food served within schools.
As the prior post establishes, parks present several values to communities including the promotion of health, socialization, and community. Efforts within Los Angeles County depict an especially vital change as the efforts of introducing parks were community-led and sustainable. This is essential in maintaining the values that parks foster such as health awareness and unity within particular areas. It would be beneficial to see these efforts extend to prioritize accessibility as not all parks are currently easily available to individuals or collectives that may have limited access, such as community members with disabilities (Błaszczyk et al., 2020). Outreach into underserved and remote regions without community-focused facilities is also important. A truly effective strategy in implementing park creation throughout communities must also be aware of local issues and needs. As mentioned by the author, community leadership and sustainability are especially vital to the ongoing success of such a project.
References
Błaszczyk, M., Suchocka, M., Wojnowska-Heciak, M., & Muszyńsa, M. (2020). Quality of urban parks in the perception of city residents with mobility difficulties. Brain, Cognition, and Mental Health. Web.
Weihrauch-Blüher, S., & Wiegand, S. (2018). Risk factors and implications of childhood obesity. Current Obesity Reports, 7(1), 254-259. Web.
World Health Organization. (2018). Taking action on childhood obesity. WHO. Web.