05 May 2009
Diabetes WA are encouraging parents and carers to take part in Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 15 May, helping children to incorporate exercise into their daily routine.
Event organiser, Harold Scruby from the Pedestrian Council of Australia, says that while the event is good fun, it also has several serious messages.
“We are very excited about national Walk Safely to School Day because we see it as an opportunity to develop healthy sustainable, habits, not only for one day, but for life,” he said.
Physical inactivity, a major risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, is on the rise in Western Australia, with the number of people getting the recommended amount of exercise each week falling between 2001 and 2006 by up to 12%(1).
Diabetes WA’s Director of Health Promotion, Di Ledger, says that childhood is an important time to develop good activity patterns that can carry people into adult life.
“Starting good lifestyle habits at a young age is the key to a long and and healthy life and this event is the perfect opportunity to start now, as it also recognises the important influence that parents have over their children’s behaviour,” she said.
Parents walking their children to school is one way they can encourage them to establish healthy habits that can significantly reduce their risk of developing diseases like type 2 diabetes in the future.
“Research shows if parents continue to promote children’s’ sedentary lifestyle by chauffeuring them everywhere and letting them play computer games instead of teaching them to get outside and exercise regularly, then by 2025, half of all young Australians will be overweight or obese (2)” Mr Scruby said.
All schools around the nation will receive a Walk Safely to School Day kit including stickers, posters and a how-to-participate guide. Local P&Cs and Councils are encouraged to host a Healthy Breakfast at their local primary school on the day. For more information visit www.walk.com.au .
1. Population Health Indicators: Western Australia 2008 (December, 2008) Epidemiology Branch, Department of Health WA.
2. Whitaker RC, Wright JA, Pepe MS, Seidel KD & Dietz WH (1997). Predicting obesity on young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. New England Journal of Medicine 337(13):869-73.
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