Sussex can lead this essential shift

Over the course of the next several months - and continuing over the next several years - we’re going to hear a lot about networks of trails connecting communities in Delaware, and particularly in Sussex County. We’re also going to be hearing a lot about better nutrition for our students.

This week, Cape Henlopen School District Superintendent Kevin Carson told a group of people he wants to bring more local fruits and vegetables into our schools, and he wants the district to consider offering breakfast for all students.  Why?

Because schools are where many of our students get their nutrition, and students who eat a proper and healthy diet do better in school. He also added that 48 percent of Cape’s students are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches, and the level of funding that comes with that program could likely finance most, if not all, of a breakfast program.

Statistics show the United States has a more sedentary lifestyle and poorer diet than most of the nations of the world. Health studies show 70 percent of our healthcare dollars are spent on chronic conditions related to lifestyle choices. We all know rising healthcare costs are among the serious threats to our country’s economic health. We can’t continue to be a nation of inactivity and snack food. Healthcare issues related to poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle, more than wars and natural disasters, pose the greatest threat to our future.

The good news is that Delaware and Sussex County are embracing change related to both nutrition and activity.  Our schools are feeding children better diets with an emphasis on fresh and local fruits and vegetables.  Soda and junk food machines are leaving the hallways.

Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Department of Transportation recently signed an agreement that will see rapid development of trails across  the state connecting communities. That will make outdoor activity more readily available to all of us.

With all of its great outdoor assets already in place, Sussex County can be a national leader in this movement.  Moving ahead aggressively with these initiatives will help create a lifestyle that boosts economic development here, and help us make ourselves, our children and our grandchildren happier and healthier.