Photo Credit: Amsterdamize

There is still little awareness of the multiple ways in which modern-day urban life constricts a child’s mobility and opportunities for physical activity. We still don't know the full health impacts when children don't get enough exercise.

Some new evidence gives policy makers more ammunition to get children on bicycles. A recent study provides strong evidence that a sedentary lifestyle even developed by children very early on in life has far-reaching health impacts.

Looking at a group of 9 year olds, the study came to a rather obvious conclusion: children that cycle to school are better off than those that don't and cycling contributes "to a better cardiovascular risk factor profile in young people".  

But in a follow up of these children 6 years later, those that had taken up cycling in between the check-up also had a better cardiovascular risk factor profile. It is never too late to consider changing mode of transportation

Interestingly enough, this study also stresses that “no difference was found between walkers and passive travelers”, which underlines once more the specific health benefits of cycling as a mode of transport

About the Author

 Benoit Blondel is the current Health and Environment Policy officer at ECF. He is from Belgium and has a Master’s degree in law from the University of Louvain. For the past 8 years, he has worked as a policy and advocacy officer on health issues for Brussels-based NGOs. He has previously worked for several years as a lawyer at the Bar of Brussels.