Action Area:
Engaging in Healthy Habits

Key HSIN Measure:
Physical Activity

To make Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation, community, state and national policy change is needed to create physical environments and transportation corridors that make regular physical activity an easy, safe and enjoyable part of daily routines. To begin, the state should help grass roots awareness building efforts like "Feet First," "Safe Routes to Schools" and "National Walk Your Child to School Day." Additionally, the state should support public health agency efforts to provide input on state and local land use and transportation decision making. Finally, the state should maintain its financial commitment to increased public and policy-level awareness about health and the built environment, and over the longer-term, find a more stable funding strategy for it.

As employers, both government and the private sector should begin exploring opportunities for productivity enhancements, health care cost savings and reduced worker injuries by building more robust employee wellness programs including incentives for regular physical activity. Washington can build on our leadership role in workplace safety in most industries by linking wellness efforts with current workplace safety programs.

2006 Washington State Legislative Bill Watch: