Active Community Environments Grass-Roots: advancing active living in the community

Research shows that community design can either encourage or discourage active living. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), based in Olympia, has embraced the potential of community design to increase physical activity, initiating the Active Community Environments Grass-Roots (ACEs) project. ACEs brings into focus older adult transportation and community design needs, and considers these needs in transportation policy decisions. Changing the environment to promote daily physical activity is intended to produce health benefits for individuals of all ages and abilities. DOH believes ACEs to be the first such project in the United States.