Research indicates that an increasing number of Americans suffer from obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions that can be influenced by the way we live. These trends are compelling planners nationwide to increasingly look at the relationship between public health and urban planning. The Regional Center has many opportunities to promote healthier lifestyles through low-cost strategies that are relatively easy to implement and that help capitalize on existing health and wellness-related assets and resources within the Regional Center. Pursuant to this, the Health and Wellness theme is extensive throughout the entire Background Report and embraces a variety of strategies and objectives to foster the health and well-being of all who live and work in the Regional Center. These strategies include ways to promote an active lifestyle by providing opportunities for physical activity for residents of all ages; increasing pedestrian and bicyclist safety; increasing access to the Raritan River Greenway with enhanced pedestrian connections to downtown districts; and working with the Somerset County Park Commission, the three municipal recreation departments, Healthier Somerset, and RWJBarnabas Health to encourage healthier lifestyles.

Supporting initiatives such as RWJBarnabas Health and Healthier Somerset’s community needs assessment to create a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) will help achieve many of the health and wellness goals and recommendations described in the Background Report. A complementary goal of the Regional Center is to counter social isolation by making vibrant connections between our residents and Regional Center amenities which can help address stress, psychosis, and depression.

Some of the many health and wellness goals and objectives made in the Background Report include creating a Healthy Community website that identifies programs and locations such as farmers’ markets, community gardens, bike paths, athletic facilities, etc. Research has shown that a healthier population contributes to a stronger community by providing opportunities for social interaction and improving the social capital. A healthier population also contributes to a stronger economy by increasing overall physical well-being resulting in less absenteeism, improved productivity, and improved academic performance. A healthier population can also benefit from improved overall emotional and mental health.

The Background Report provides an abundance of examples of how health and wellness can be promoted through such methods as building design techniques; outdoor fitness equipment designed for seniors; restaurant menus featuring locally-grown healthy foods; and raising public awareness about local health and fitness resources. One of the most far-reaching health and wellness initiative discussed in the Background Report is establishment of a health and wellness “district” to attract and accommodate health and wellness-related services, facilities and businesses that also foster workforce training in the medical and life sciences industries. The Regional Center can be the ideal location with the right concentration of resources to foster opportunities where medical and life sciences companies can network with nearby regional medical institutions, Raritan Valley Community College, Rutgers and Princeton Universities, and other colleges and universities to train students pursuing the medical and life sciences fields who contribute to a highly skilled workforce seeking opportunities to live and work in the Regional Center.

The Background Report also provides an appendix of Healthy Community websites featuring towns utilizing strategies like pop-up cafes and café guidelines (Town of Westport, CT); a successful health and wellness district (Vita Health and Wellness District, Stamford, CT); and a Healthy Plan Making Report published by the American Planning Association.