Let’s Go

Doug Tynan

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NHPS VisionOptimal health and development for all children.

NHPS Mission

Nemours Health & Prevention Services, an operating division of Nemours, is dedicated to working with others to help children

lead healthier lives.

Development

Each age and stage of a child's development has specific goals and tasks.

Early adolescents, 12 – 14 years, are trying to establish himself as an independent person

For adolescents, it is to become their own person with their own group of friends. Adolescents need many skills in order to successfully achieve their goal of increased independence.

Behavior is driven by thought they can never grow into adulthood without assuming more control over their life.

Adolescence

Time of independence– Habits develop early and carry over into adulthood

Ages 12 – 17

Greater mobility and independence developed

Obstacle – parental fear – sex offenders, kidnapping

Active Transportation - Bike, walk, public transportation (DART)

Milestones

Learn to ride bike 3 – 6 years old

Cross the street alone at 10 years

Stay home alone at 12 years– (National SAFEKIDS Campaign http://www.latchkey-

kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm– Delaware Division of Family Services

Get job at 14 years– Trapped b/c don’t have means to get around– Rely on parents to get you there

Coordination

Best developed between the ages of 7 – 14, with the most crucial period being between 10 – 13 years of age. Children and Sports Training: How Your Future Champions Should Exercise to be Healthy, Fit, and Happy by Józef Drabik (Mar 1997)

Active Transportation

How to use public transportation, rules of riding a bike, safety in crossing the street

Best place to teach these skills?– School, – Camp, – After-school programs, – Community centers

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Lets go…

School

Work

Park

Practice

Mall

Movies…

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Benefits of Physical Activity

Helps maintain a healthy weight and prevents chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes

Benefits during childhood and adolescence: promotion of healthy growth and development maintenance of energy balance psychological well-being opportunities for social interaction

Children who grow up in physically active families are more likely to continue being physically active into adulthood compared to their peers raised in families with more sedentary lifestyles

Decline in Children Walking and Biking to School

In 1969, approximately half of all children walked or biked to school, with 87% of those living within 1 mile of school walking or biking

Today: Fewer than 15% of children walk or bike to school One-quarter of trips to school are made on a school bus More than half of all children commute to school by car

A survey administered by the CDC sheds light on the causes of this decline Following distance to school, the second most commonly reported barrier to

walking/biking to school was traffic-related danger

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Sources: FHWA, CDC, 2005

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According to the 2009 National Household Travel Survey:

37% of Americans reported no walk trips in the previous week

25% of children reported taking no walks or bike rides outside for any reason in the previous week

Average amount of time spent in active travel each day was just 10 mins. per capita (short of recommendation of 30 mins. of physical activity per day for good health)

Statistics on Active Transportation

Sources: National Household Transportation Survey, 2009

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The Challenges We Currently Face

Our current environment supports sedentary lifestyles

It is difficult, if not impossible, to walk or bike to most destinations of importance

Few places actually encourage people to be active