Focusing on Spaces, Wages, and Transportation to Build Healthy Communities [Podcast Series]

• [:56] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Lisa Robinson

  • Lisa Robinson is the Director of the Office of Food Access & Healthy Communities for the City of Somerville (formerly Shape Up Somerville).  

• [1:08] Impacting energy balance in children

  • “And it was a coming together of community nonprofits and health organizations with academia and working with schools and institutions like the City of Somerville to think holistically about how to impact energy balance in children.”

• [2:15] Creating a healthier community

  • “And what was great is it attracted a lot of funding, a lot of grant funding, and with that created a lot of promotion and aligned messaging, and a top down and a grassroots approach to come around this effort of trying to create a healthier community.”

• [5:21] Systems approach

  • “Now, we recognize that there's so many root issues that can lead to obesity. And it's a complex issue. And we recognized that back then, as well. But how do we come together to really focus in on what's the main goal for attacking that—the systems that affect our health outcomes.”

• [7:08] Data-driven approach

  • “So again, thinking about other pieces of data that inform what we're sort of feeling and experiencing and perceiving. So, thinking about, how are we, people moving around the city? You know, are they relying on their cars? Are they feeling safe? What's our mileage of bike lanes?”

• [8:40] Measuring success

  • “And, during the study, we saw that the BMI trajectory for the students in the study did not rise as much as their counterparts who were not in the research intervention. We continue to look at BMI and keep an eye on that and break it down by different demographics—age, race ethnicity—to continue to target our approach. That's really important. And again, recognizing that BMI doesn't really tell the whole story, we are looking at it again from other different metrics.” 

• [10:38] Investing in green spaces

  • “So, what I think is most striking at this point, as you come into Somerville, is how we've invested in our green space, particularly our parks. And that has come with a policy measure that the City of Somerville residents opted in and voted on, which is the Community Preservation Act. It's a surcharge where that funding goes towards different sectors, one being green and open space.” 

• [13:47] Making spaces accessible

  • “So part of our data collection is to see the demographics of who's using the park and making sure that who's attending the meetings are able, you know, are reflective of who is using the park.” 

• [14:41] Public transportation access

  • “And you know, obviously, public transportation was part of the conversation early on, and they continued to be even stronger partners, recognizing that transportation is a key piece to accessing all the things that support our health.” 

• [16:10] Impact on caregivers’ behavior and weight outcomes

  • “There was a research paper that came out that did look at, actually, the behaviors and weight trajectories of the caregivers, were sort of part of that intervention and primary and secondary receivers of all of the information. And they also did change behaviors and improved their weight outcomes as well.”

• [17:05] Rebranding Shape Up Somerville

  • “And then we also felt like the name was giving off this, supporting the traditional messaging of, you know, it's an individual responsibility.  And we wanted to have it be more of a systems approach, higher level upstream approach, to addressing health outcomes and health disparities.”

• [19:11] Supporting healthy eating and active living during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • “Anywhere you looked in our little dense community, people were really out enjoying the outdoors, making it their living rooms, you know, being active.  People were more public with their activity than they ever had been. And I think that that was really positive. And not only was it helpful for our physical and mental health, it was good for continuing to keep community, you know, and keep those connections there where we were so in need of them.” 

• [22:31] Focusing on spaces, wages, and transportation

  • “So our spaces, definitely our outdoor spaces, that are free and open to everybody for whatever works for their schedule. I think if we can continue to invest in proper staff to help program and activate those spaces across the age range, that would also really be key.”

• [26:09] Advocacy

  • “It's really important to have sort of this historical, institutional knowledge, but you always need to infuse it with new energy and excitement and perspectives. So I think that that's. the more we can have our young people advocating for spaces, and they are…”

• [29:19] Collective impact approach

  • “And how are they going to tackle it from different angles and who is going to take ownership of different aspects of it in sort of the collective impact model, having a common agenda or a common goal that we all agree is the challenge we're working towards.”