International Walk to School Day promotes healthy lifestyle, safe walkways to school

OREM — Six-year-old Kyra Jensen and 5-year-old Rylee Swalberg walked to school for the first time Wednesday morning.

Kyra was half-running, half-walking the one and a half miles from her house to Northridge Elementary with her family of five just before 8 a.m. while Rylee couldn't get her family of four to walk fast enough.

"She kept trying to get us to run," said Rylee's mom, Jenn Swalberg, who said she usually drives her kids to school.

But Wednesday was different for many families across Utah and across the globe. It was International Walk to School Day.

Kyra and Rylee joined more than 200 of their classmates and millions around the world in making a conscientious effort to walk to school Wednesday morning.

Over 3,300 schools in the U.S. held walking events on Wednesday including 31 Utah schools. In Taylorsville, city officials and school administrators held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new pedestrian bridge that will make walking to school safer, and in Price students who are usually bussed to school were dropped off at a park less than a mile a way so they could participate in Walk to School Day as well.

Even Michelle Obama got in on the action Wednesday and sent a letter out to those participating in the event.

"I know that by getting students moving, we can help ensure they will live full and healthy lives, and that is why I am so encouraged by all the events going on across our country this month," she wrote in the letter.

Nationally the number of obese and overweight elementary-aged children has tripled in the last 30 years from less than 7 percent to over 19 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Utah has a slightly higher rate of obese and overweight children at 21.5 percent, according to the Utah Department of Health.

While there are many reasons why more children are overweight or obese than perhaps ever before, including children eating and drinking less healthy of food and drinks, having a more sedentary lifestyle and not exercising as much, Lynda Blades, who conducts childhood obesity research for the state, said activities like Walk to School Day can raise awareness and is a small step toward a healthier society.

"If we going to see a change, it is going to take a lot of time," Blades said. "It's just important that we keep moving forward to promote physical activity and promote healthy living in schools, communities and families."