Iowa's Trails Offer
Health Benefits

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This article was written and posted on INHF's website in August 2002.

Happy trails to you - and a healthy body, too. Although Iowans often recognize the recreational benefits of trails, they sometimes overlook their significant health benefits.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, 60 percent of Iowa adults are overweight. In fact, a 2001 study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 23.9 percent of Iowa's men and 21.2 percent of Iowa's women ages 20+ are obese (significantly overweight), compared with 21.1 percent for the national median.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of Iowans are insufficiently active - failing to get the recommended 30 minutes of activity five times a week. Nearly 26 percent reported no physical activity whatsoever. Several studies have shown that trails, and their proximity to the users, appear to increase the rate of regular physical activity.

"Iowa has one of the nation's most extensive multi-use recreational trail systems, and autumn is a great time of the year to take advantage of this invaluable resource," said Lisa Hein, Program and Planning Director for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), a non-profit organization that conserves Iowa's land, water and wildlife. INHF was a partner in creating many of Iowa's multi-use trails.

"Trails provide a safe place for Iowans to walk, jog, bike, skate and, ultimately, improve their physical and mental health," Hein said.

In a study by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 29 percent of people with access to a trail believed their proximity to the trail caused an increase to their level of physical activity.

In recent decades, Iowans of all ages have become increasingly overweight, obese, inactive and poorly nourished. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, only 56 percent of Iowa boys and 61 percent of Iowa girls attained the recommended health standards for cardio-respiratory fitness, arguably the most important component of physical fitness. Iowa children, both boys and girls, are slightly heavier and possess more body fat than comparable national samples.

"A generation ago, most children rode their bikes to school or walked. Today's community design usually makes this much more difficult, and children are missing out on daily exercise," Hein said. "Trails are an excellent way for children and their families to exercise and spend time together, all while enjoying Iowa's natural beauty.

According to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, trails can also promote the health of Iowa's senior citizens. With a safe, convenient place to exercise, trails have helped senior citizens delay or prevent chronic illness, improve mood, relieve depression, maintain their independence, and improve their strength, energy and coordination.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found people who are physically fit and maintain a healthy body weight are at much less of a risk for type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney failure, colon, breast and prostate cancer, gallstones, arthritis and complications during pregnancy.

In the U.S., the cost of caring for people with preventable obesity and related diseases exceeds $70 billion per year. Taxpayers pay about half of this enormous bill.

"As the typical American lifestyle becomes more sedentary, trails offer an economical fitness option that is healthy for our bodies, minds and the environment," said Mark Ackelson, president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. "Unfortunately, Iowa's recent state budget cuts to the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP) and the State Recreational Trails Fund have zeroed out new trail funds for years to come. Communities planning to build or expand trails will face new financial hurdles, but at least we can enjoy the trails we already have."

Many of Iowa's trails have been developed along former railroad corridors linking rural towns, and others are developing internal trail networks that benefit both residents and visitors. From the 63-mile Wabash Trace Nature Trail in the state's southwest corner to the 20-mile Prairie Farmer Recreation Trail near Cresco in the state's northeast corner, dozens of trails cross Iowa's scenic countryside.

Want to hit the trail?  Download your free Iowa trail list and accompanying map now!

For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, director of communications, or call (515) 288-1846.