Mountain View has joined a statewide coalition of cities working to combat rising obesity.

The Healthy Eating Active Living -- or HEAL -- Cities Campaign hopes to reduce obesity by implementing better city policies, such as more bikeways, farmers markets, pedestrian walkways, community gardens and healthy retail food environments.

HEAL Cities provides free training and assistance for the adoption of these policies. Advocates say local amenities like these reduce physical inactivity and promote healthy lifestyles, and can reduce the costs associated with medical needs and lower productivity.

For its part, the city of Mountain View intends to provide healthier food choices, safe stairways, and breastfeeding accommodations at its facilities so that city staffers and council members can model healthy behavior.

For more on HEAL Cities, visit www.healcitiescampaign.org.

— Dana Sherne