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Welcome to the Bedford In Motion page!

Registering for the Healthy Bedford by Design Breakfast?  click here:

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Thursday, May 23, 2013.  7:30-10:30 AM Old Town Hall

2013 Healthy Bedford By Design

How we can Improve our Community's:  health, environment & local economy.

co Sponsord by Toward a Healthier Bedford (TAHB) and the Bedford Chamber of Commerce

Keynote Presentation by expert planner Mark Fenton:  how WHERE we live affects HOW we live.  An environmental approach to how we can shape Bedford to support healthy living and improve our local resources.

Free, but pregistration is required before May 10.

 

 

Regular physical activity is linked to enhanced health and to reduced risk for the development of many chronic diseases in adults. However, many U.S. adults are either sedentary or less physically active than recommended. Children and adolescents are more physically active than adults, but participation in physical activity declines in adolescence. School and community programs have the potential to help children and adults establish lifelong, healthy physical activity and nutrition patterns.  Our goal is to provide resources and information to help the Bedford community become healthier.

 

What makes a community healthy? Let’s ask Bedford…

Who’s to say what makes us and our community healthy? Concepts of what we need to make and keep us healthy vary amongst individuals and from community to community. However, research tells us there are some largely universal determinants of health such those identified by the World Health Organization (WHO):

 

  

       Where we live and our physical environment

 

       The services we have access to

 

       Individual characteristics and behaviors

 

       Social and economic environment

 

Curious to know more about health and longevity?  Check out:

Dan Buettner:  How to live to 100

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-jk9ni4XWk

 

Mark Fenton:  America's Walking:  Walking and Biking around DC

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae7LFeAWkuw&NR=1

 

 

How is your knowledge of Bedford "Trivia" -

Have you taken the Healthy Bedford Quiz?

 

 

 According to the World Health Organization, a complete state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being defines which of the following terms:

 

  

  1. Optimism
  2. Health
  3. Wellness
  4. Happiness

 

 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a healthy body mass index (BMI) is:

a. Under 25

  1. Under 25
  2. Under 30
  3. Under 15
  4. Under 10

 

 

 

Bedford has how many miles of bike path?

 

  1. 3
  2. 15
  3. 18
  4. 6

 

 

 

The walking distance between The Bedford Public Library and Whole Foods Shopping Center is:

 

  1. a.1 mile
  2. b..25 mile
  3. c.Over 1 mile
  4. d..5 mile

 

 

 

The Bedford Local Transit (BLT) is for senior citizens only?

 

  1. True
  2. False

 

 

 

Which local breakfast fare has the most calories?

 

  1. Starbucks turkey bacon, egg & cheese breakfast sandwich
  2. Bruegger’s whole wheat bagel with vegetable cream cheese
  3. Dunkin’ Donuts jelly donut

 

 

 

Which contains the most total fat?

 

  1. Starbucks turkey bacon, egg & cheese breakfast sandwich
  2. Bruegger’s whole wheat bagel with vegetable cream cheese
  3. Dunkin’ Donuts jelly donut

Answers:

The World Health Organization defines HEALTH as a complete state of physical, mental, social & spiritual well-being.

The Centers for Diesease Control (CDC) define a healthy body mass index as UNDER 25

Bedford has 6 miles of bike path (Minuteman Bikeway, The Narrow Gauge Trail, and Minuteman Extention

The walking distance between the Bedford Public Library & Whole Foods Shopping Center is .5 mile

The Bedford Local Transit (BLT) is for all Bedford Residents.

The most calories are contained in the Bruegger's whole wheat bagel with vegetable cream cheese.

The most fat is in the Dunkin' Donuts jelly donut.

How did you do?  comments/questions - e-mail:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

As a result of funds received from Northwest Suburban Health Network Alliance (CHNA15), Bedford has undertaken a community-driven health impact assessment process, branding it Toward a Healthier Bedford (TAHB).  This planning grant process provides a means for communities to identify what a “healthy community” means to them.

 The first phase of the process involves residents identifying what impacts their health, the positives and the obstacles – with a focus on the wider social determinants of health.  Bedford used the WHO definition of health which identifies health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  TAHB invited those who live and work in Bedford to answer the questions: “What is the one factor in Bedford that most impacts your quality of life in a positive way?”  And “What is the one biggest challenge you face in Bedford that interferes with your quality of life?”   Bedford residents resoundingly answered “Community” as the most often cited positive factor, closely followed by Trails and Nature.  As for the obstacle most often cited, well, that would be “Traffic” followed by “Lack of Sidewalks” and “Lack of Public Transportation”.  A number of residents also cited “Affordability”.

The next stage in the process is community engagement.  Currently we are speaking with stakeholders to sift through the results and comments offered by Bedford residents.  We are connecting with partners to hear different voices and viewpoints, with the intention to promote dialogue among committees, departments and residents.  Ultimately we hope to identify and synthesize our assets as well as to brainstorm possible “do-able” solutions to make Bedford a healthier place to live and work.  We hope you will lend your voice to this project!  If you are interested in joining or hosting a focus group, house party or committee, please let us know:

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Take our most recent survey (it is 30 seconds!)  Vote on the one that you feel would best address the quality of life issues identified above:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HealthyBedfordIdeas

 

  

What is Body Mass Index and why are schools checking and reporting this information?

The Massachusetts Public Health Council unanimously approved regulations that require public schools to calculate student’s heights and weights into Body Mass Index measurements and send the results home to parents of students in 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th grades, along with a package explaining what they mean and how parents can best combat obesity. (Parents can opt their children out of BMI screening).

The new regulations, are part of a larger statewide initiative called "Mass in Motion", designed to fight rising obesity rates. Department of Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach characterized the childhood obesity problem in Massachusetts as "very severe," with one-third of Massachuestts students falling into the categories of overweight or obese. By explaining body mass index calculations to parents, including resources on proper nutrition and exercise and partnering with pediatricians, Comissioner Auerbach said he hopes to help reduce that rate.

"This is about giving to parents the tools necessary for them to ensure that their children are as healthy as they can be," Auerbach said.

 

Body Mass Index

  • The body mass index is an indication if a person is at a suitable weight for his or her height on an approximation of body fat.  To determine body mass index, a person's height and weight are put into a mathematical equation and the determining number divulges if a person is underweight, overweight or at an ideal weight. According to the American Heart Association, a body mass index can be determined with this equation: multiply your weight in pounds by 703, divide by your height in inches, then divide again by your height in inches.

Range

  • A body mass index of under 20 is considered to be underweight, while a body mass index between 20 to 25 is considered healthy. A body mass index in the range of 25 to 30 is regarded as overweight. A body mass index over 30 is regarded as obese.



BMI Frequently Asked Questions:

 

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This Website is funded via a MiniGrant through the Northwest Suburban Health Alliance/CHNA 15 DoN funds from Lahey Clinic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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