Step 5: Get Informed - Why Walk and Bike?

Fact Sheet - Why Walk and Bike? Consider the Following:

  • One reason for Americans’ sedentary lifestyleis that “walking and cycling have beenreplaced by automobile travel for all but theshortest distances.” (CDC)
  • Seven out of ten travelers commute to workand/or school, making nearly 1.6 billioncommute trips per week. (FHA)
  • Parents driving children to school comprise20-30% of morning traffic congestion in urbanareas. (America Walks)
  • In 1969 42% of trips to school were made bywalking or bicycling compared with only 15%in 2001. (U.S. DOT)
  • The prevalence of obesity in children, aged6-11 years, increased from 4% in 1976 to 17%in 2006. (CDC)
  • Children and adolescents should do 1 hour ormore of physical activity every day. (U.S. HHS)
  • The obesity rate among California adults rosefrom less than 10% in 1985 to 23.7% in 2008.(CDC)
  • Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes perweek of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and15 minutes per week of vigorous-intensityaerobic physical activity. (U.S. HHS)

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