28 September 2005
Engineering Activity
Back into Our Everyday Lives
Arthur Weltman , Ph.D., Exercise Physiology Laboratories,
Curry School of Education, UVA
Nancy McLaren , M.D., Department of Pediatrics and
Glenn Gaesser , Ph.D., Program in Kinesiology,
Timothy Beatley , Ph.D., Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, School of Architecture, UVA
The American way of life has become remarkably inactive. We drive rather than walk through sprawling suburbs or risky urban blocks, our children sit before screens rather than run around neighborhoods, our jobs are sedentary service roles rather than physical labor in a manufacturing economy. Physical activity is often just the exercise program we resolve to pursue, but often don't. We know our inactive lifestyle has negative health consequences for everyone, but what's to be done? How do we engineer activity back into our lives?