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NY anti-obesity project focuses on building design

Wednesday - 7/17/2013, 4:50pm  ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- After nudging New Yorkers to stop smoking and eat better, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is at work on getting them to move more.

Bloomberg detailed various steps Wednesday to promote a concept called "active design."

It means shaping the built environment to encourage physical activity. That can entail making stairways more welcoming or sidewalks more inviting.

Bloomberg's plans include seeking to change the building code to allow limited use of devices that keep stairwell doors open, except in emergencies.

The mayor also wants to require new buildings and major renovations to include at least one continuous stairway open for non-emergency use. A continuous stairway has flights right above each other, rather than stairs in one area on some floors and elsewhere on others.

There could be some exemptions for security.

Sound: upcoming
