An Edmonton MLA is continuing to focus on getting Alberta children more active.
Edmonton-Centre MLA David Shepherd walked to Belgravia School Wednesday morning with a group of students as part of his initiative to encourage children to get more exercise.
“As we as a society are facing more and more health-care costs, rising health-care costs, due to obesity, chronic disease, a lot of things, we need to start developing healthier habits. We need to be working more on the prevention end of things, instead of the amounts that we’re spending on trying to treat diseases once they’ve developed,” Shepherd said.
“By encouraging kids to get more active to build better habits when they’re young, it’s going to benefit them when they’re adults and at the same time it’s helping them while they’re in school.”
READ MORE: Kids in daycare get less outdoor activity than kids who stay home: Canadian study
In November, Shepherd introduced the private members bill “Active Schools Week Act,” which recommends designating the first week of October as Active Transportation Week, where schools would hold activities and events that encourages students to walk, bike or wheel to school.
“I brought that up because, myself, I’m a cyclist. I ride year round and I found when I ride, the days that I ride to work, I arrive and I feel better. I’m more alert. I’m more focused and I feel energized,” Shepherd said.
“There’s studies that show it’s the same for youth. When they get a little bit of exercise before school, they arrive, they’re more focused, they’re more energized, they’re more ready to get into the day.”
READ MORE: Why Canada got a D- on youth exercise report
Dr. Kim Kelly’s son routinely walks to Belgravia School. She said walking is a great opportunity to get in the right “mental health frame of mind” that can last a lifetime.
“Medically speaking, this is an excellent opportunity to develop healthy habits early in life, and the goal is to develop habits that kids will take with them into adulthood to decrease chronic illness,” Kelly said.
In November, a ParticipAction study comparing the activity level of children in 38 countries suggested Canadian children rank near the bottom.
Comments