Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
• Fewer kids walk or bike to school
(U.S. DOT, 2009)
• 15% of NC children ages 5-17 live within 1 mile of their school
• 34% live within 2 miles, however…
• Only 4% walk or bike to school at least once per week. (NC State Center for Health Statistics, 2011)
• School travel by private vehicle accounts for 10-14% of morning rush hour traffic. (McDonald, Brown, Marchetti, Pedroso, 2011)
Image: Provided by Joel Cranford
Why Focus on Walking and Biking to School?
NC Child Health Statistics
Underweight, 6%
Healthy Weight, 63%
Overweight, 18%
Obese, 13%
North Carolina Children Ages 10-17, by Weight Status2
Weight status based on BMI-for-age percentile
• Childhood obesity is putting today’s youth on a course to potentially be the first generation to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.
• North Carolina has the 23rd highest childhood overweight or obesity rate in the nation.1
• Nearly one out of three (31%) children ages 10-17 in North Carolina is overweight or obese.2
• Nearly one out of three (29%) children ages 2-4 who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in North Carolina is overweight or obese.3
NC Child Health Statistics, continued
• Obesity and Risk Factors of children and youth– 54% of children ages 5-10 exercise, play a sport, or participate in physical activity for at
least 60 minutes on four or more days a week.4
– 64% of children and youth ages 1-17 are eating five or more servings of fruits and
vegetables (including 100% fruit juice) per day.4
– 67% of children and youth ages 1-17 consume one or more sugar sweetened beverages on a typical day.4
– 38% of children under age 10 spend at least two hours in front of a screen (watching TV,
videos, or DVDs or playing video games, computer games or using the Internet) on a
typical day.4
NC Child Health Statistics, continued
• Asthma – Asthma is the leading, chronic health condition reported by NC public schools5 – ~ 17.5% of children under the age of 18 in NC had been diagnosed with asthma at some
point in their lives• About 10.9% still had asthma6
• Diabetes – 0.2% of children under the age of 18 in NC diagnosed with diabetes at some point in
their lives6 – 0.6% - pre-diabetes6
Benefits of Walking and Biking to School
• Improves health – decreased obesity and asthma-related events• Teaches fundamental safety skills• Increases sense of freedom and responsibility
Children
• Improves the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists• Provides cost savings by reducing need for “hazard” busing• Benefits the local economy by funding construction projects
School/
Community
• Improves air quality by reducing vehicle emissions• Reduces traffic congestion near schools
Environment
What is Active Routes to School?
• NC Department of Transportation and NC Division of Public Health • Administered through local NC health departments in 10 regionsPartnership
• NC Safe Routes to School initiatives• Local, regional and state community safety and health initiativesAlignment
• Three year projectTiming
DurhamAlamance
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick
Cabarrus
Carteret
Caswell
CatawbaChatham
Chowan
Cleveland
Columbus
Craven
Cumberland
Currituck
DareDavidson
Davie
Duplin
Edgecombe
Forsyth
Franklin
Gaston
Gates
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Hertford
Hoke
Hyde
Iredell
Johnston
Jones
Lee
Lenoir
Lincoln
Martin
MecklenburgMontgomery
Moore
Nash
NewHanover
Northampton
Onslow
Orange
Pamlico
Camden
Pender
Pasquotank
Person
Pitt
Randolph
Richmond
Robeson
Rockingham
Rowan
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
StokesSurry
CherokeeClay
Graham
Haywood
Jackson
Macon
Swain
Transylvania
Tyrrell
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washington
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Avery
Buncombe
Burke
Caldwell
Henderson
McDowell
Madison
Mitchell
Polk
Rutherford
Yancey
Perquimans
11
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
1010
Legend
Active Routes To School Lead Health Departments
Counties
Regions
Last updated: 06/23/14
Active Routes to School Regions
Region 2 includes Avery, Burke, Buncombe, Caldwell, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, and Yancey Counties
Adapted from the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s “Improving Health, Safety and Transportation”
Mary Smith, Coordinator
828-460-7328
Increase the number of elementary and middle school students who walk and bike to school.
Adapted from the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s “Improving Health, Safety and Transportation”
Mary Smith, Region 2 Coordinator
828-460-7328
Increase the number of elementary and middle school students who walk and bike to school.
Adapted from the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s “Improving Health, Safety and Transportation”
Mary Smith, Region 2 Coordinator
828-460-7328
