Richmond boasts a rich network of parks and green spaces, with over half of its residents living within a quarter mile of a park.

Yet despite this abundance, the Richmond Health Equity Report Card reveals a troubling statistic: 20% of children under 17 in Contra Costa County reported not visiting a park, playground or open space in the past 30 days.

Those countywide numbers are likely more pronounced in Richmond, which lags behind the rest of the county in a range of health indicators. This underutilization of our outdoor spaces is well understood by public health professionals, and by average residents, who see nearly empty parks all over our city.

In our most vulnerable population, childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, vitamin D deficiency, attention deficit disorders, stress, and depression are becoming alarmingly common. We know that outdoor play is part of the solution.

Why aren’t more young people playing outside? The answer may be attributed to various factors: increased screen time and home entertainment options, negative perceptions of local environments, concerns about safety, a lack of time and energy, financial stresses, and more.

But the consequences of a sedentary and indoor lifestyle are severe, and costly. As a primary care doctor in Richmond, I witness firsthand these adverse effects on my patients, especially the younger ones.

According to the California Department of Education Physical Fitness Testing report, over two-thirds of grade 5-9 children in Contra Costa County did not meet the minimum physical activity recommendations in 2019. More than one-third of them were overweight or obese.

While professional healthcare is crucial, we must better leverage the resource right under our fingertips: the great outdoors. Spending time outside in parks and green spaces offers numerous health benefits. It encourages physical activity, fosters a connection to nature, and provides opportunities for community engagement, all of which help prevent and improve chronic diseases like obesity, depression and anxiety.

So to my Richmond residents, I urge you to engage with your kids and neighbors. Let’s ask them what keeps them inside and brainstorm ways to take advantage of the city’s natural wealth.

Identify the barriers to going outside — whether they are concerns about safety, poor quality of outdoor spaces, or something else entirely — and work together to overcome them. Voice your concerns to local representatives, attend officials’ meetings, and organize park cleanup meetups.

If internal barriers like lack of time or energy are the issue, find ways to overcome them. Organize outdoor playdates, participate in local events at places like Pogo Park, or host gatherings in your local park or backyard. A dose of sunshine and nature can do wonders for the body and mind, benefiting both you and your children.

To my fellow healthcare providers, it’s time to standardize writing “park prescriptions” and empower our patients to spend more time outside. Incorporate the benefits of nature into treatment plans, provide access to local park maps and resources, and engage in advocacy. We must use our influence to participate in policy making and ensure our patients have the tools and resources they need to sustain good health when they leave our offices.

And to activists, residents, planners and others, now may be the time to shift our focus away from addressing a misperceived scarcity of parks and toward the more pressing and addressable problem: How to better link neighborhoods and families to the wonderful parks they have.

Together, let’s take care of our community, our children, and make Richmond’s parks a vibrant, utilized asset for all.