By working with local planners to make your school and community more active, you can help ensure that polices that are in place support, encourage, and sustain healthy lifestyles.

A walking club is an easy, inexpensive, and fun way to encourage children to walk by keeping track of their mileage and/or minutes and rewarding them for being physically active.

This study was a prospective evaluation of the relationship between annual distance traveled by motor vehicles and subsequent incidence of overweight or obesity in a Mediterranean cohort.

The high prevalence of adolescent obesity in the United States has been attributed to population changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviors, and dietary behaviors. This study examines 8-year trends in these behaviors in US adolescents ages 11 to 16.

The aim of this article is to investigate whether the association between physical activity and mental health is mediated by body-weight perception (self-image) or the social aspects of participation in organized sports (social interaction).

A literature search of studies was conducted in seven electronic databases (January 1980 to April 2012). Studies were compared on methodologic quality and evidence of tracking of physical activity or sedentary behavior. 

Background:  Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) linked to climate change is the biggest threat to public health worldwide. 

Ideas to grow and sustain your Safe Routes to School or walking and biking programs.

Although physical activity (PA) provides children with various health benefits, many children do not engage in regular PA.

It has been reported that motor vehicle emissions contribute nearly a quarter of world energy-related greenhouse gases and cause non-negligible air pollution primarily in urban areas.

Recent epidemiological research suggests that near road traffic-related pollution may cause chronic disease.

A bike rodeo is an event that provides elementary and middle school children with the opportunity to learn, practice, and demonstrate bike handling skills in a fun, safe, and encouraging atmosphere.

The study examines active commuting at neighborhood schools and how it is altered by distance to school, student age and its potential impact on Body Mass Index.

Since a decline in activity levels occurs in adolescence, active transport could be important to increase daily physical activity in older adolescents (17–18 years). To promote active transport, it is necessary to be aware of the barriers and facilitators of this type of transport, but also of other transport modes. 

This two page document outlines strategies to increase physical activity through the shared use of recreational facilities.

Tips for Walking Safely to School and in Life

This policy statement from the American Heart Association provides state and local policy recommendations to support shared use of school facilities.

School policies can impact the amount of physical activity that children receive on a regular basis. Because of this, it’s important to be able to identify both barrier policies, which discourage, prohibit, or otherwise present barriers to physical activity, and supportive policies, which encourage, support, or enable physical activity opportunities.

This downloadable report from the Institute of Medicine is a compilation of information around increasing physical activity in K-12 schools.

This fact sheet is designed to engage local Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO's) in the Complete Streets discourse, the resource offers an introduction to complete streets as well as recommendations for implementing complete streets components in underserved communities.