Urban sprawl feeds child obesity, hurts environment

The suburbs don’t just eat up land, they make it harder for children to enjoy healthy lifestyles.

By building walkable communities with plenty of parks, city planners can tip the scales toward green living and away from child obesity.

According to a American Academy of Pediatrics publication, walking or cycling to school can jumpstart children into getting the proper physical activity they need.

In one study, it was found that the farther middle-school age girls lived from school, the less exercise they got per week. And when one-third of America’s youth are overweight, even small steps can make a big difference.

But children aren’t going to be eager to bike to school when their parents take a Pathfinder to work.

“Urban patterns that lengthen parents’ time spent commuting to work may limit the time they have to engage in physical activity with their children,” according to the AAP report. “Factors that affect adult physical activity also affect the degree to which parents can serve as positive role models for their children.”

So if parents are able to trade in some of that driving time for a bike ride with their kids, the whole family is likely to be more healthy – not to mention more green.

Let’s face it, the U.S. needs to rethink how cities grow. When a city spreads out through urban sprawl, residents are forced to rely on cars. When people rely on cars, they’re adding to this country’s addiction on foreign oil and ultimately pollution.

On the other hand, when communities grow up instead of out, they’re more capable of providing walkable communities, accessible parks and public transportation – each important aspects of a greener society.

And if children don’t grow up enjoying the great outdoors because they don’t get outside enough, what’s going to make them want to protect it when they’re older?