Wednesday, October 01, 2014

LOVE This New Boston Program, But It's Not Going to Prevent or Treat Obesity

It's called "Prescribe-a-Bike" and I love everything about it except one thing.

I love that it has MDs prescribing exercise to patients.

I love that it helps to provide affordable transportation to low income Bostonians (with an MD's Rx the normally $85 bike share membership cost is dropped to $5 and a free helmet is provided).

I love that it will improve the health of its riders.

I don't love the fact that Boston Medical Center President and CEO Kate Walsh promoted the program by suggesting the bike share will help to combat obesity as you'll no sooner out-ride your fork than out-run it, and perpetuating the myth that you can forestalls both individual and societal efforts at targeting our godawful diets.