Nowadays, it takes special efforts such as the national Kids-Walk-to-School program or the "walking school bus" in order to get students out of the car and onto the not-so-beaten path to school. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one-third of students who live within a mile of their school walk, compared to 87 percent back in 1969.
The CDC explains that children who do not walk to school may be missing out on an important part of growing up. Moreover, it has been suggested, "The freedom and adventure of walking to school has been replaced with overscheduled and oversupervised kids." One school even encouraged walking instead of riding by developing a sidewalk as a shortcut through a small grove that led to nearby houses. A teacher and fifth-grade student stand as safety patrols, yet even so only three students use the path on a regular basis.
Some claim the drastic difference in walking to school from 1969 to now is a result of generational changes; however, specific reasons have been highlighted:
Whatever the reasons or excuses may be, the CDC see children not walking to school as nothing short of a "missed opportunity." Not only are students skipping out on the 20 to 40 minutes of exercise time gained from walking, but they are also losing a prime opportunity to gain pedestrian skills and a sense of independence.
USA Today December 22, 2004
I don't know about you but when I went to grade school in the 60s I walked to school and the trek was never closer than one mile. Apparently many of you were in the same boat, as the CDC tells us that nearly 90 percent of kids living within a mile of school walked there in 1969.
Now, that percentage has dropped to less than one-third. This is absolutely pathetic. So in addition to TV and eating out we now have a third major factor that is contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic -- not walking to school.
When I walked to school in the 60s it was always on the border of some rough Chicago neighborhood. Well there weren't as many drive by shootings in the 60s like there are today, but there was still some risk of assault. I can tell you for a fact that I have absolutely no recollection of my parents ever walking me, let alone driving me to school, even in the most inclement weather, and I don't think I turned out too bad. I can appreciate what one of the people in the article said, "Walking to school builds character."
It is incomprehensible to me that such a massive majority of children are losing the opportunity to exercise. Now, half of kids live more than three miles from school. This is most unfortunate and I do believe it is too far too walk every day round trip for most kids. However, if kids live less than a mile from school, then not walking to school is setting the stage for disaster.
Avoiding exercise is a sure fire way to perpetuate the childhood obesity epidemic.
You see, the epidemic of obesity in children is advancing much more quickly than the CDC and others predicted. In the last two decades alone, the prevalence of overweight adolescents has nearly tripled, and now one out of every four American children are seriously overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
Moreover, overweight and obese children are not only faced with increased health problems -- heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal and orthopedic problems and type 2 diabetes to name a few -- but they are also likely to suffer from low self-esteem and depression as a result of their weight. In fact, being overweight or obese can take a huge emotional toll on a young child.
Fortunately, it is possible to prevent, or reverse, obesity in children (and adults), though much of the success of prevention depends on parental involvement. Thus, setting guidelines and educating children on good nutrition through providing them with nutritious meals and snacks will put them on the road to making healthy decisions as adults.
Dr. Ben Lerner and I will be writing a book later this year on the topic of childhood obesity and hope to offer some very specific practical guidelines that should have a major impact on this epidemic. Until the book comes out, I have three powerful recommendations for you and your child to follow:
Increase Exercise: Overweight and obese children will need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, and major studies have shown that 60 minutes a day is actually best.
Eliminate soda: Children can easily cut down on the amount of sugar they eat by cutting out soda pop and juice and ONLY drinking water.
Decrease or eliminate TV time: TV is one of the most pernicious influences on a child and I couldn't recommend stopping it more strongly. Not only will it decrease their activity level, but it will also expose them to commercials promoting worthless foods.
Thus, both exercising and monitoring food/drink consumption should be a natural occurrence in your child's daily life.
Note: If you are looking for a nutritional guide to achieving total heath and wellness for your family, you should consider my book, TOTAL HEALTH Program. You can also learn how to incorporate a personalized exercise program for each member of your family by reading Paul Chek's newest book, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, a perfect complement to my nutritional plan.
And right now, you can get both my bestselling Total Health book and Paul Chek's book together and receive 25 percent off their regular price!
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