New Report: New Yorkers Are Active, But Want More Opportunities to Get Fit

Newswise — New York, N. Y. ( February 3, 2016) - There’s good news when it comes to New Yorkers and staying active—a range of city residents say they are well aware of the link between physical fitness and health, and doing their best to find ways to get some exercise in their daily lives.

In a new report from The New York Academy of Medicine, “Physical Activity: NYC On the Move,” city dwellers say that whether they are climbing subway stairs, working hard in physically demanding jobs, or on urban grandma patrol chasing down toddlers in city parks, they keep it moving.

“‘Physical Activity: NYC on the Move’ is part of the Academy’s broader goal of learning about health needs and resources directly from community members and engaging them in our efforts to advance evidence-based policy and programmatic solutions that can make our communities healthier,” says Elisa Fisher MPH, MSW, one of the primary authors of the report.

Yet, as New Year’s resolutions contribute to spikes in gym memberships citywide, approximately 25 percent of the nearly 3,000 New Yorkers surveyed for the report say they still do not have access to places that would allow them to be more physically active. Many of the participants, especially those living in low-income communities, explain that they would like to get even more exercise than in their daily activities, but they need access to safer, more affordable facilities and spaces like parks and recreational facilities that will accommodate people from all cultures, as well as people with disabilities.

Exercise for Everyone“There’s still important work to be done to make an active lifestyle possible for residents of many of the city’s low-income communities, such as the South Bronx, Southeast Brooklyn and Queens,” says Jo Ivey Boufford, MD, President of the Academy. “Solutions that residents suggest are very consistent with the Mayor’s strategy to assure equity in services for all New Yorkers and policy makers and property owners can play an important role in improving health by supporting better use of the parks, buildings, and other resources in their communities.”

“It’s easy to talk about exercising if you live in Battery Park. They just made the whole garden thing, you can walk, run, do anything you want. It’s beautiful. … How do you do that in Flatbush?”-Community Health Professional, Brooklyn

“Well, [a local non-profit’s gym] is there for people who can afford to go. You have a great membership there. … It comes up at our community meetings about how people would love to go, but they can’t afford it because they’re on a set income.”--Focus Group Participant

“Physical Activity: NYC on the Move,” is the fourth report in the “City Voices: New Yorkers on Health” series—a one-of-a-kind collection of personal narratives featuring city residents talking about their health and well-being. The first two reports, “Transgender: Speaking Out for Better Care” and “Mental Health: Context Matters,” were released in October and November of 2015.

In this latest report, people send clear messages about the types of changes they would like to see to make healthier lifestyles available to everyone. They offer great insight into barriers to exercise in many of New York City’s economically challenged communities. About the AcademyThe New York Academy of Medicine advances solutions that promote the health and well-being of people in cities worldwide.Established in 1847, The New York Academy of Medicine continues to address the health challenges facing New York City and the world’s rapidly growing urban populations. We accomplish this through our Institute for Urban Health, home of interdisciplinary research, evaluation, policy and program initiatives; our world class historical medical library and its public programming in history, the humanities and the arts; and our Fellows program, a network of more than 2,000 experts elected by their peers from across the professions affecting health. Our current priorities are healthy aging, disease prevention, and eliminating health disparities