Therefore, counter to the discussion of this UNC-Chapel Hill research, let’s not further racial tension by making people think The Man is trying to keep poor blacks down by not giving them as much access to health-recreation facilities. Criminy. In the (poor) neighborhood where I grew up, we just played. Isn’t that what kids do ? if their parents make recreation outside (as opposed to in front of the TV or video game) a requirement?
In their study of some 20,000 U.S. teens, the researchers explored whether resources available for physical activity were distributed relatively equally across all segments of the population, said Dr. Penny Gordon-Larsen, assistant professor of nutrition, a department jointly housed within UNC?s schools of public health and medicine. They especially wanted to learn whether minority and low-income groups ? in which obesity levels are high and exercise levels low ? had access to such resources to about the same degree as people in richer communities. …
Factored into the analysis were the numbers of public and private exercise facilities, schools, universities, public beaches, pools, tennis courts, youth centers, parks, camps and athletic clubs within communities.
“This issue, termed health disparities between different race, ethnic and income groups in the United States, represents one of the major health dilemmas facing the nation,” said Popkin, who also directs UNC?s Interdisciplinary Obesity Center. “This is the first study to empirically show a major systematic factor in our environment ? namely a lack of recreation resources ? explains an important component of this difference in health.”
“Kids, why don’t you go outside and play? It’s a beautiful day!”
“Can’t, mom, there isn’t any health recreation facility nearby.”
“Still? Well, OK, then. Sit there and eat snack food.”
“We shall over *burp* come, mom.”
