Active travel to school has been endorsed by leading public health organisations including the World Health Organization, as a highly effective way to increase children and young people’s physical activity. Key to success is the recognition that active travel is a key risk and protective factor for all chronic disease. Inactive childrenNational physical activity guidelines recommend moderate to vigorous activity for children of at least 60 minutes a day. Only one quarter of primary school children walk or cycle to school, compared to the late 1980s when half of children walked or cycled. In the interim, until the infrastructure is scaled up, what can be done to improve active travel to schools and levels of physical activity among young children?

Source: Irish Examiner August 28, 2022 23:19 UTC