ARE PRIMARY-SCHOOL CHILDREN GAINING HEART HEALTH BENEFITS FROM THEIR JOURNEYS TO SCHOOL

Information was collected in relation to 1133 children, aged 4-11 years, regarding methods of travel to and from school, together with distances involved. Ninety-seven per cent of the children walked, travelled by car or alternated between these 2 methods of travel. Some 584 children (51.5%) walked to school every day with an average one-way-distance of less than half a mile. It would seem therefore that few primary school children are walking far enough to gain heart health benefits from their journeys to school. Reasons are given, however, as to why it is important for young children to be encouraged to walk to school providing adequate safety considerations are taken into account.