8 Ways to Make Your Town Healthier

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If you were inspired by the way the people of Louisville, Oklahoma and Seattle used their communities to achieve their own weight-loss missions, perhaps it's time to encourage your own town to do the same. Start with these eight steps from award-winning health and science writer Sari Harrar.

1. Rethink the bake sale. Though school lunches have gotten healthier over the last few years, foods sold in vending machines, at fundraisers and at school events like sports matches haven't. Research has found that the unhealthy food available at these places contributes to childhood obesity. Offer to host a healthy-foods fundraiser (fruit kebabs, veggies and dip) or work with the parent group that runs food sales at events to find healthy alternatives. For more tips, go toDoSomething.org/ActNow/ActionGuide/Healthy-Bake-Sale.

2. Start a neighborhood walking group. Ask friends on your block to join you, then reach out to others. The camaraderie will keep you committed, and the sense of belonging to a group is a great health bonus. For a how-to-start video from the AARP, go to WalkingInfo.org/Videos/pubdetail.cfm?picid=54.

3. Organize a "walking school bus." If your child's school is within reasonable walking distance, volunteer to escort the kids on foot. Arrange with other parents along the way to pick up their kids at a set time and place. Go to CDC.gov/NCCDPHP/DNPA/KidsWalk/Resources.htm for a step-by-step guide. Also check out the National Center for Safe Routes to School ( SafeRoutesInfo.org), which helps parents, communities and schools develop safe and effective ways to get more kids (including those with disabilities) walking or riding 
bikes to school.

4. Turn the office "doughnut day" into fruit day. Instead of bringing in baked goods to "treat" everyone, pick one day a week on which everyone brings in a different fruit. Research shows that eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is the best way to get disease-fighting antioxidants.

5. Connect your school with local farmers. Start by contacting local farms or farmers' market managers and talk to the principal and head of food services at your school to see if a program might be feasible. Then put together a "Farm to School" meeting. You can get meeting materials, including a sample agenda, from the National Farm to School Network ( FarmToSchool.org). There are also companies like Revolution Foods ( RevFoods.com) that provide healthy meals and nutrition education to schools; talk to school officials about them.

6. Bring health mentors into your high school. An organization called HealthCorps (HealthCorps.org) trains young adults and places them in high schools to help kids incorporate healthy habits into their lives. They teach a hands-on HealthCorps curriculum, which includes showing kids how to make healthy food choices and get enough physical activity. The mentors also work with school officials and students to make healthy changes in the community—such as creating school gardens, starting local farmers' markets, bringing healthier food to school vending machines, and more.

7. Become a community health worker. In the Steps to Health King County program, participating hospitals and clinics referred patients with diabetes or asthma to community health workers—local residents who have experience in managing these conditions (for themselves or a family member) and are trained to help others do the same. CHWs meet with patients to see how well they're doing and strategize improvements (by making sure they're using the inhaler correctly or helping them figure out how to fit more exercise into their day). They also help patients keep on top of doctors' appointments and refer them to community resources. Check with local and/or state health departments, hospitals and medical centers to see if they have a CHW program.

8. Start a community garden. Gardening is not only great exercise, it also encourages residents to incorporate the healthy herbs, fruit and vegetables they're growing into their diets. Find ideas on how to get started by visiting the American Community Gardening Association's website (CommunityGarden.org).

America's 10 Healthiest Cities
Want to get in shape? Check out one of these places!

The American College of Sports Medicine tabulated the health status of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in their annual American Fitness Index 2010 report. Their ratings analyzed levels of chronic disease, community resources and policies that support physical activity, access to healthcare, and how many residents engaged in stay-healthy habits including exercise.

1. Washington, DC

2. Boston

3. Minneapolis-St. Paul

4. Seattle

5. Portland, Oregon

6. Denver

7. Sacramento, California

8. San Francisco

9. Hartford, Connecticut

10. Austin, Texas

Read each city's success story here: How Three Cities Got Healthy.

Sari Harrar is an award-winning health and science writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications.