As a native North Carolinian, there are a few things that come to mind as quintessentially Southern. At the top of this list is barbecue. The smell of hickory chips, the taste of tangy vinegar, and the social ritual of the pig pickin’ are, for many, cornerstones of a place-based identity. Unfortunately, our cultural appreciation for authentic barbecue underscores a fundamental tension between the strength … Continue reading Pork, GRITS, and Planning
Supporting Physical Activity and Active Transportation in Rural Communities A version of this piece was originally published at the Safe Routes to School Partnership website. The majority of Americans live in urban or suburban areas, though around 15 percent of Americans live in nonmetropolitan regions, which make up 72 percent of US land. Although the proportion of Americans who are rural residents has recently declined, … Continue reading Bridging the Distance
What do we know about the relationship between physical activity and fitness, and academic performance? This brief lesson, drawn from a 2014 article by Castelli and others, provides an overview of how this area of research has evolved and where we are today. Paving the Way Research on psychological benefits of physical activity began in the 1950s and 1960s, with the first large-scale study of … Continue reading Academic Performance and Physical Activity: A Brief History Lesson
This article originally appeared in the Active Living By Design blog on August 31, 2015. As a dual degree graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill) studying city and regional planning and public health, I am passionate about promoting healthy and active living. While many physical environments need to be modified or developed to facilitate active living, college … Continue reading Let’s Launch a Bike to Class Week
