A new report shows childhood obesity rates in Roanoke have fallen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Roanoke Valley Community Living Index tracks health indicators among children in city schools, reporting new data every three years. Liz Ackley is a professor and director of Roanoke College's Center for Community Health Innovation.
"I'm happy to report through this 2024 dataset that we've seen a return to pre-pandemic levels in terms of child weight related health risk," Ackley says. "That is fantastic."
Ackley says the updated data shows residents are increasingly focused on neighborhood projects. That could be a side effect of the pandemic, which kept people close to home and perhaps rekindled community connections.
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say maybe this terrible thing that happened to all of us actually helped us return to some basic 'play in the neighborhood, eat with your family, enjoy your neighbors' experience that we probably have lost as technological innovations have grown," Ackley says.
It's not all good news, though, especially with regard to physical activity.
"It was shocking, that almost 60% of children in the school system are not sufficiently active," Ackley says.
Local leaders use the data to help guide policy. Previously, the index contributed to the conversion of old tennis courts in Northeast Roanoke into futsal courts, as well as Goodwill Industries of the Valleys' development of the new Melrose Plaza in Northwest Roanoke. That project combines a grocery store, an adult high school, a wellness center, and other amenities.
