From Concept to Practice

We have all seen the commercials (and me since I was quite young,) "Play a game." "Real Reality." "30 minutes a day." There have been and continue to be a number of adds that target children (as our future) to get fit through just plain "getting out." What was the result? Kids were commanded by less-than-perfect physical role models, called parents to "get out." Or the parents would drive them to the park with chips and soda as a snack.
The concept is great, and to some extent it works, but the practice is flawed. Our society is not built to promote physical fitness. It has been organized around convenience and, of course, monetary gain. Our drive-through society clearly caters to a slothful approach to bodily maintenance.
There are, certainly, other environments that do nurture a physical mindset. When I lived on Kauai, there was certainly a very physical environment. Though there were common examples of so-called "anti-physical" catering, like highways and McDonald's the atmosphere was different. Sidewalks were everywhere. The county had a project to build a side walk along the entire eastern coastline. It was a beautiful ride...or walk. There were a lot of hiking trails and none were "no bikes" trails, which is very important to someone like me. Now, of course, pacific islands are a great place to find less common activities, like diving, sea-kayaking and surfing, but hiking, swimming, running and cycling/mountain biking can be done most anywhere.
The problem is in the profit. The people who live in places like Hawaii, go there not just because it is beautiful but they enjoy the outdoor activities provided there. There is little to no immediate profit in converting an enviroment to pro-physical. This is what prevents such a conscious effort to change a population's plans to enhance a fit lifestyle. I think the eventual benefits would be great, but hardly are economic issues looked at for the long-term benefit.