Why are we not raising the bar with physical activity in young children?

Active travel to school programmes are to be welcomed, but they are only effective if the funding is used, and when they form part of wider initiatives.

Students of four national schools participate in the The BIG Cycle to School Clonakilty 2022. Picture: Dermot Sullivan

Active travel to school has been endorsed by leading public health organisations including the World Health Organization, as a highly effective way to increase children and young people’s physical activity.

The Government introduced an initiative, Safe Routes to School, in March 2021 to support walking and cycling infrastructure in an effort to tackle traffic congestion at school, create safer paths and bike lanes, and encourage more kids to walk and cycle.