Experiment to Increase Health in Beach Cities

Dear Editor:

Today you reported that some beach cities have taken up a new experiment set to “improve the health of the entire region…by transforming homes, workplaces and schools.” I feel like this is a very authentic and constructive way to deal with the current healthcare issues at the local level. As a college student I think that this plan can really improve the community’s health, not only by potentially lowering costs of healthcare and hospital admissions, but also because it sets a great example for children the importance of being fit and eating healthy. My concern regarding this plan is that it takes a whole community to make this work since it involves the participation of many entities. Thus, the bigger the community, the harder it will be to get everyone on board. Perhaps something that could make a difference is having positive incentives to the entities involved through taxes or discounts.

Sincerely,

Miriam Torres Escobedo

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beach-cities-20111003,0,974917.story