Released September 26, 2008
STILLWATER, Okla. – Children from around the world will share a common tie during October by participating in the activities associated with International Walk to School Month.
International Walk to School Month gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of walking.
“Walking to school events work to create safer routes for walking and biking,” said Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service parenting assistant specialist. “It also highlights the important issues such as increasing physical activity with children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, environmental concern and building connections between family, school and community.”
In the United States, 5,000 schools from all 50 states are expected to participate and will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world by walking to school.
Richardson said walking is free, convenient and enjoyable and does not require special equipment and is a great way for children and adults to be active.
“Being overweight can cause health problems such as diabetes during childhood and by being physically inactive as children, research shows they will also be physically inactive as adults,” she said.
According to the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, obesity rates among children have more than doubled in the past twenty years.
Walking to school is a missed opportunity, Richardson said.
“Only about 10 percent of children nationwide walk to school regularly and even children living within a mile of their school, only 25 percent walk regularly,” she said. “While the weather is nice in October, enjoy getting out and walk your children to school or encourage them to walk to school. It’s an ideal time to encourage good habits of health and well-being.”
More information on International Walk to School Month can be found at http://ww.walktoschool.org, http://www.saferoutesinfo.org and http://www.iwalktoschool.org.
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Contact: Katie L. Reim, 405-744-6792, katie.reim@okstate.edu
