Safe Play Opportunities for Children

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, obesity rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents since 1980, and currently, about one in six children and adolescents are estimated to be overweight or at risk for overweight. Overweight during childhood and adolescence is likely to continue into the adulthood, and these earlier years in life are very important times to establish a healthy lifestyle to prevent obesity and other related health problems.

Causes of obesity are multifactorial and complex, ranging from genetic susceptibility to high energy consumption, increasing sedentary lifestyles, and socioeconomic and environmental factors. Many of the minority populations and people with low socioeconomic status have higher rates of obesity. People with low socioeconomic status, as measured by education and income levels, are also more physically sedentary during leisure-time compared to the individuals with a higher socioeconomic status.

Physical activity can be a strong preventive strategy against obesity, and national guidelines recommend that children and youth should perform at least moderate intensity physical activities for 60 minutes per day on most days of the week. However, large proportions of children lack this level of physical activity, and furthermore, participation in physical activities decline as children get older. Nationally, it is estimated that more than one-third of high school students does not get recommended levels of physical activity.

Physical activity levels can be influenced by several environmental factors such as availability of school and after-school physical activity programs, and access to safe walking, bicycling and play areas. Because children spend most of their time in school, availability, type, and amount of physical activity programs in schools or after-school settings are very important in increasing physical activity. Unfortunately, only a very small portion of schools offer daily physical education. Research shows that physical education classes can be effective in improving children's physical fitness. Additionally, simple methods such as marking the school grounds for active play and providing balls and other equipment during recess also help increase the physical activity level among children.

Transportation to and from school is another opportunity for children to engage in physical activities such as walking or bicycling. However, the built environment and lifestyles in general have changed in a way that made driving almost a necessity for families; walking or bicycling to and from school is no longer a common practice among students. The distance to school, availability of sidewalks, and traffic patterns [Page 664]influence parents' decisions to let their children walk to and from school. In addition to the physical availability and access issues, safety of the route between home and the school is also a likely factor affecting whether children walk to and from school.

Overall, children have been reported to be less physically active and to be less likely to walk or bicycle to and from school in unsafe neighborhoods compared to safer environments. Street traffic can also be a safety barrier against walking. However, studies show that street improvements and decreasing the driving speed rather than the traffic volume can be effective ways to overcome this barrier.

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