Childhood obesity has more than tripled in children and adolescents in the past 30 years. 

Ohio’s obesity rates, especially for children, are unacceptable. 

Partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations to share school facilities during after-school hours can be an effective strategy for increasing physical activity. 

Despite the growing interest in expanding the joint use of K–12 public schools by public health and planning practitioners to promote healthy, sustainable communities, the topic has received little attention in the urban planning and public health scholarship. 

Despite related physical/mental health benefits, children's independent mobility for school travel (i.e. walking/cycling without adult accompaniment) has declined in recent decades. The study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between social/physical environmental variables and independent mobility on the school journey.

Efforts have intensified to apply a more evidence-based approach to traffic safety. One such effort is the Highway Safety Manual, which provides typical safety performance functions (SPFs) for common road types.

Key takeaway: Parental safety concerns and perceptions of crime in recreational areas may limit child physical activity.

The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the short- and longer-term effects of a cycle training on children's cycling skills. A second aim of the study was to examine the effects of a cycle training, with and without parental involvement, on levels of cycling to school and on parental attitudes towards cycling.

Key takeaway: Biking and pedestrian injuries generate high economic costs.

Background:  California was the first state to legislate a Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program under Assembly Bill AB 1475 (1999). SR2S funds construction projects that make it safer for children to walk/bicycle to school and encourage a greater number of children to choose these modes of travel for the school commute.

This study investigated the impact that state traffic safety regulations have on non-motorist fatality rates.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to present a literature review on quality-of-life (QOL) assessment in overweight or obese children and adolescents in order to identify the most affected dimensions and better understand associated factors.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

Child dietary patterns may vary by commute mode, with passive commuters consuming more calories from sweets and snacks.

The Child Pedestrian Safety Curriculum teaches and encourages pedestrian safety for students grades Kindergarten through 5th Grade. It is organized into five lessons: walking near traffic, crossing streets, crossing intersections, parking lot safety, and school bus safety. Each lesson builds upon previous set of skills learned.

This web-based resource offers law enforcement officers tips, tools, and resources for supporting Safe Routes to School efforts and overall pedestrian bicycle safety efforts geared for use at the community level.

Short PSA video promoting walking and biking.

Las escuelas se encuentran en una zona céntrica y tienen gimnasios, parques infantiles, campos deportivos, canchas, pistas y otras instalaciones de recreo que podrían permitir a los residentes que sean más activos físicamente. Las escuelas y sus instalaciones de recreo tendrían que estar disponibles, fuera del horario escolar, para el uso comunitario.

In some communities, the danger of violence and crime discourages children from walking to school and keeps people off the street, limiting physical activity and restricting errands and trips. Using a framework known as the “Six E’s,” we identify specific kinds of actions that can combat violence and support Safe Routes to School.

This resource presents an overview of the opportunties and challenges for advancing shared use agreements and offers examples of shared use in urban, suburban, and rural settings. 

Superintendents are the chief administrators for school districts. They work to implement the vision and policies that the school board establishes. Superintendents can play a critical role in supporting shared use.