Walking
to School Gives Kids Daylong Benefit
By Patti
Connor
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Adolescents who walk to school may be setting the pace for increased physical
activity throughout the day.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh say how a child
gets to and from school has a broader impact on children. It affects their
overall level of physical activity, write Leslie Alexander and colleagues in
BMJ Online.
The researchers' goal was to measure moderate to vigorous
physical activity among 92 pupils aged 13-14. Participants in the study were
from four schools in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Students were divided into three groups: those who traveled to
and from school by car, bus or train; those who walked both ways; and those who
walked one way. Each student was asked to wear a pedometer throughout the day.
Students who walked to and from school accumulated the most
minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity throughout the day. They were
followed by those walking one way.
Those who walked both ways were far more likely to experience
moderate to vigorous levels of exercise throughout the course of a day than
those traveling to school by car, bus or train.
Adolescents vs. Younger Kids
In all, 87% of students going to school by car, bus, or train
accumulated an average of 60 or more minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
activity on weekdays. That contrasted with 90% of those who walked one way and
100% of those who walked both ways.
Similar results have been reported for 10-year-olds. Among
5-year-olds, the mode of travel to school did not significantly affect overall
physical activity, researchers found.
"Our findings suggest that walking to school may be more
effective for older children," Alexander says in a news release.
"In conclusion, we feel that understanding these differences
would enhance health promoting school and transportation strategies," she says.
The Importance of Getting Physical
More than a third of students in grades 9-12 do not regularly
engage in vigorous physical activity, according to the CDC.
Children and adolescents should routinely participate in
physical activity, including play at home, in school, and throughout the
community, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics in its policy for the
prevention of pediatric overweight and obesity. For them, just as for adults,
regular physical activity offers numerous health benefits, including:
 | Set a positive example. Lead an active lifestyle yourself.
Make physical activity part of your family's daily routine by designating time
for family walks or playing active games together. |
| Provide opportunities for children to be active by playing
with them. Give them active toys and equipment, and take them to places where
they can be active. |
| Offer positive reinforcement when they participate in
physical activities. Encourage new activities. |
| Make physical activity fun. Encourage structured or
non-structured activities. They could include team sports, individual sports,
and/or recreational activities such as running, walking, skating, bicycling,
swimming, playground activities, and free-time play. |
| Make sure the activity is age-appropriate. To ensure
safety, provide protective equipment such as helmets, wrist pads, and knee
pads. |
| Find a convenient place where they can be active on a
regular basis. |
| Limit the time they can watch TV or play video games to no
more than two hours a day. Instead, encourage activities that they can do by
themselves or with family members, such as walking, playing tag, and dancing. |
