Getting Kids Outside Forum: Play Hard!

On August 5, nearly 200 teachers, public health professionals, conservationist and parents gathered for the first Getting Kids Outside forum at the Bosque School in Albuquerque.

The summit aimed to start a dialogue about how getting our kids moving outdoors could provide a tool to combat the growing childhood-obesity issue in the state.

Pediatric overweight is a problem all over the nation, and is on the rise in New Mexico, with 27% of high school students classified as overweight or at risk. Diabetes incidence increased an estimated 37% in New Mexico from 1990 to 2000. Young people who engage in regular physical activity and healthy eating practices decrease their risk for chronic diseases and generally live healthier and longer lives.

This health problem is also expensive. Experts have indicated that one in seven cases of diabetes could be prevented through exercise and diet, saving New Mexico $140 million annually.

The conveners of this forum—Sierra Club, Environmental Education Association of New Mexico, Santa Fe Mountain Center, USDA Forest Service and Bosque School—hoped to spark an interest and provide tools to educators and public-health experts to address this problem in creative and simple ways.

The Forum consisted of six panels. Several distinguished guests made presentations to the crowd, including Congressman Martin Heinrich, Lt. Governor Diane Denish and Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart-Stebbins. Speaker Suzanne Gagnon of University of New Mexico said “Play hard!” is the prescription she gives to her patients and students.

Participants developed a number of recommendations, ranging from comprehensive state plans to encouraging teachers to just get outside with their students. Recommendations will be developed into a report and distributed to participants and decision-makers. Please see http://www.sierraclub.org/youth/newmexico for a detailed agenda and list of speakers.—Kristina Ortez de Jones,Building Bridges to the Outdoors