Northborough One of the Healthiest Towns in the State

While Massachusetts, when compared to other states, shows an increase in obesity rates overall, Northborough stands out as one of the healthiest communities in the state. 

In September of last year, the Department of Public Health reported that the BMI rates of students in Northborough had begun to decrease, and the town is one of only three Mass in Motion communities to have recorded decreases in BMI. In a survey, Northborough's percentage of overweight and obese youths showed a 20 percent decrease between 2009-2011, as reported by the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. 

The commitment to health is, in part, thanks to an initiative called Building a Healthy Northborough. Started in 2008 with a planning grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation, the initial funds were used to conduct an assessment of both the barriers, and the assets, that existed to implementing environmental policy and system changes to promote healthy eating and active living in Northborough. 

In 2009, BHN received a second award from MetroWest Health Foundation, positioning it as one of the first communities to participate in Mass in Motion (MiM), "a statewide movement that promotes opportunities for healthy eating and active living in the places people live, learn, work and play."

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health supports 33 Mass in Motion programs covering 52 Massachusetts cities and towns and 33 percent of the state population. BHN was one of the first communities part of this program, making it a model for other communities.  

"BHN uses evidence-based approaches/best practices in an effort to have the biggest impact and to ensure sustainability," says Tamara Calise, one of BHN's coordinators. "For example, we have worked with the Northborough Extended Day Program to change policy to mandate that both structured and unstructured physical activity be part of the curriculum. While the current directors value the importance of physical activity and ensure opportunities are given to the participants, these directors could leave some day and be replaced by someone who is less supportive. Now that it is a policy, it will be more likely for physical activity opportunities to be continued to be provided."

Calise said another example of implementing healthy initiatives in town includes three of the four elementary schools changing recess to occur before lunch. Research suggests that kids who recess right after class build up more energy, socialize and more apt to "sit down and eat a good lunch." 

"In addition, educators have reported that students are often better behaved in the cafeteria and calmer in the classroom when they eat after recess," said Calise.     

While obesity is a nationwide issue, Calise said that specifically, in Massachusetts, two out of three adults are either overweight or obsese, and one in four children are overweight or obese. 

"Obesity has emerged as the number one public health problem facing the US," she says. "Although individualized eating and exercise programs have been employed throughout the US and around the world and have shown change, most are not sustainable in the face of environmental and social forces that support poor dietary habits and sedentary behavior such as large portion sizes, easy access to high fat, high sugar foods, drive-thrus, emailing/calling instead of walking down the hall to talk to colleagues....being driven to school instead of walking, standardized testing and financial pressures schools face that often result in a reduction of physical education and recess time, etc."

Since becoming a Mass in Motion Community, the following efforts have been made in Northborough: 

• Healthy food establishment initiative to increase healthy options for individuals eating outside the home
• Adoption of policies in the Town of Northborough and Northborough schools that support healthy eating and active living by providing opportunities/access 
• Development and support of community and schoolyard gardens
• Increased awareness of community efforts through traditional and new media efforts
• Building and locating benches on trails throughout Northborough to improve aesthetics and encourage people of all abilities to get out and be physically active (and take a rest when they need it)
• Several changes have been made to zoning bylaws that will promote physical activity. First, the Open Space Residential Design Bylaw (Section 7-10-010) encourages open space and the creative placement of the homes in the development in order to protect open space, views, wildlife habitat, and natural features.  The parking regulations (7-09-030) now contain requirements regarding pedestrian and bicycle accommodations (7-09-030 E. and F.).  The Residential Open Space Planning Overlay District (Section 7-07-040) encourages the creative use of the land regarding the placement of the residential uses and the protection of natural features at Northborough Crossing (located off of Route 20 and West Main Street).