Bonner General Health is providing snack bags to children in Lake Pend Oreille School District who participate in Bike/Walk to School Day hosted by the National Center for Safe Routes to School in an effort to encourage students to choose an active and healthy lifestyle.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School (National Center) is committed to empowering communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe, appealing, preferred choice for families. The National Center facilitates communities in becoming places for safe walking and bicycling for everyone starting with children and the trip to school. In 2016, we launched the initiative “Vision Zero for Youth,” linking Walk to School Day with communities and elected officials making a commitment to promote safe walking and bicycling and to eliminate fatal and serious traffic crashes.
The National Center is applying what’s been learned during our 10 years of supporting and documenting the many accomplishments of the SRTS program as a framework for advancing the larger goals of Vision Zero/Road to Zero. We promote safe walking and biking by:
- Using Safe Routes to School as a framework for “Vision Zero for Youth.”
- Engaging local elected officials and communities in building support for Vision Zero starting with youth.
- Focusing on speed reduction starting in places where children and youth travel.
- Using Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day to increase local leader commitment and visibility for traffic safety.
- Expanding student travel data collection to examine the relationship between student and parent walking and biking frequency.
Go to WalkBiketoSchool.org for more information on the event and to locate schools participating in your area.
Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. It affects more than 30 percent of children, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood. This number has more than tripled since 1980.
Childhood obesity is a health issue. Today, more and more children are being diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension and other co-morbid conditions associated with obesity and morbid obesity.
Go to ChildhoodObesity.org for more information on how to identify if your child is at risk of being obese and steps for prevention.
