Between high-end gyms outfitted with gleaming state-of-the art equipment, an array of fitness classes and no shortage of pickup sports leagues and bicycling clubs, it may seem that Americans have an abundance of exercise options.
But the same opportunities to lift, box, run, play ball and stretch — at least safely, conveniently and affordably — aren’t necessarily available for people who live in low-income urban and rural areas. Insufficient exercise is a key reason many people in these areas are overweight or obese, both of which increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
Overall, the U.S. is in the midst of an obesity epidemic, and lack of exercise is a key reason many people who live in low-income neighborhoods suffer weight-related problems. In the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, government guidelines from the Department of Education (which provides programs for people from disadvantaged backgrounds), the government defines low income as individuals with an annual income of $18,090 up to $61,980 for a family of eight. Low-income levels are set higher in Alaska and Hawaii, though, because the states have generally higher median household incomes compared to the lower 48.
Regardless of income, adults should get at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise and engage in muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week, according to the government. But research suggests that lack of financial resources is tied to lower rates of physical activity, which in turn is linked to obesity and associated diseases. For example, while only 20 percent of Americans satisfy the exercise guidelines, 27 percent of those who did were college graduates, and the lowest rate of 12 percent was among people who had not received a high school diploma. Higher education levels are associated with greater earning power.
Studies have shown that counties with the highest rates of poverty have the greatest rate of sedentary residents, as well as the highest diabetes rates. And the 2015 State of Obesity report, produced by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, illustrates the degree to which people who live in rural and urban settings fail to get enough physical activity. A map, for example, shows most of the 10 states with the highest rates of physical inactivity are largely rural; these include Mississippi, Arkansas and West Virginia. Texas, meanwhile, which has several urban centers, was No. 9, and New York and Pennsylvania, which each have several major cities, were not far behind, at Nos. 12 and 14, respectively.
The hurdles people in low-income urban and rural areas face in getting enough physical activity vary. In some cities with violent neighborhoods, safety concerns can prevent adequate exercise. “The main challenge for many of my clients when it comes to getting enough physical activity is safety,” says Jerilyn Cox, a registered nurse at Whitman-Walker Health, a community health center in the District of Columbia. “I’ve had some clients say there are frequent shootings in their neighborhood, and they don’t feel comfortable going out to walk after dark” or walking by themselves.
[See: How to Be the New Kid in Fitness Class.]
Geography and tight finances can also restrict exercise options for residents of poor neighborhoods. In the District of Columbia, which encompasses 69 square miles, all residents are within 2 miles of a public recreational facility. That may not seem like a long distance, but it can be for people who work low-paying jobs and rely on public transportation. “You’re less likely to go out to a recreational facility or gym if you have to take multiple steps, like figure out what facility you can go to, what hours you could go depending on your work schedule and what bus line or Metro train you have to take to get there and back,” Cox says. Lack of money is another hurdle; many residents in inner-city neighborhoods can’t afford to spend more than $100 a month for a gym membership or a dozen yoga sessions.
Rural residents face another set of barriers when it comes to getting enough exercise. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, in which researchers interviewed focus groups of 10 to 15 people in seven rural areas, found that cycling and walking in some communities were considered “unsafe because of fast traffic, busy roads and poor safety features.” Using a bicycle could also have a negative social stigma, because people may assume the bicyclist had his or her driver’s license taken away, researchers found. Other studies have found that weather extremes, loose dogs and the presence of hunters were barriers to exercising outdoors in rural areas.
The good news it that there are free and low-cost resources that help make physical activity more feasible. Here are four strategies people in distressed neighborhoods can deploy to get enough exercise:
Keep it simple. Getting enough exercise can be safe, uncomplicated and inexpensive, says Dr. Sean Hashmi, leader of the weight management program at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. Going to the gym is great, but not everyone has the financial resources for a gym membership or lives near a recreational facility, he says. “Exercise should not be very complicated,” he says. “We have this idea that we must join a gym to get fit. That’s incorrect. You are your own gym. At home, you can do push-ups or situps. If you have a wall, you can use that to do standing push-ups. When you walk, go fast for 30 seconds, then slow for 30 seconds and alternate for a better workout. Take the stairs every time you can. Don’t always look for the closest parking spot at the grocery store. Little things add up. We should get out of the mentality that we have to be in a structured environment to work out, and instead make tiny changes throughout the day. It’s about creating a lifestyle and new habits.”
[See: Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps Per Day.]
Check out low-cost exercise options at your local community health clinic. Many of the facilities that comprise the nation’s network of 1,400 community health centers, which provide primary care and dental services to low-income people in urban and rural areas, also provide affordable exercise opportunities. These facilities aim to “reach beyond the walls of the exam room not just to prevent illness but to address the very factors that cause it,” says Amy Simmons Farber, a spokeswoman for the National Association of Community Health Centers. This includes providing exercise options to help patients ward off obesity, diabetes and other health problems. For example, the Virginia Garcia Community Health Center in Hillsboro, Oregon, has a wellness center that hosts Zumba classes, which are attended primarily by members of the Latino community. And Whitman-Walker offers a weekly functional fitness class and three yoga sessions a week, says Amy Krautwurst, senior manager of wellness programs at the clinic. Whitman-Walker also has a partnership with the Capital Bikeshare program, which rents bikes in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland and Virginia. Typically, an annual membership, which offers unlimited bike rentals for up to 30 minutes at a time, costs $85; Whitman-Walker’s partnership provides subsidized memberships to low-income people for $5 a year.
Look for free yoga classes. Yoga instructors throughout the country offer free or “pay what you can” classes in both metropolitan and rural areas, says Hansa Knox, director of PranaYoga and Ayurveda Mandala Training Center and Yoga Studio in Denver, Colorado. She’s a board member with Yoga for the People, which provides free yoga classes to adults and children who live in low-income neighborhoods, including juvenile system detainees, homeless shelter residents and senior citizens in the Denver area. Similar programs are available throughout the country, she says. They can be found via an online search or by checking with local yoga studios, community health centers, public libraries and recreation facilities. “[Participants] don’t need to worry about buying fancy yoga attire,” she says. “Loose-fitting clothes are perfect.”
[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or Race.]
Reach out to your local parks and recreation staff. Workers at city and county parks and recreation facilities can tell you about exercise options, such as walking clubs, physical activity “boot camps” and dance classes, says Keith Anderson, director of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. These staffers are also trained to respond to the needs of local residents, says Norma Garcia, chief deputy director for the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. In some Los Angeles County neighborhoods, for example, park staff members launched Zumba classes because working mothers who wanted an opportunity to exercise after work asked for such a course. “Become familiar with the staff members at your local parks and get involved to develop park programming that is important for the community,” Garcia says. “Our park staff is very nimble. Park programming thrives when there’s a strong partnership between staff members and consumers.”
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4 Strategies for Exercising if You Live in a Low-Income Neighborhood originally appeared on usnews.com
