They discovered that the strongest and most significant activity linked to low BMI and fast miles was school-based physical education, good old P.E. In fact, of all the physical activities reported, P.E. was the only one that correlated with lowered weight. And not a lot of P.E. either; just 20 minutes of exercise daily during P.E. class was strongly associated with shorter mile times and lower BMI numbers. One other activity that was significantly associated with cardiovascular fitness was walking to school, but unfortunately, it was also significantly linked to a higher BMI, a seemingly counterintuitive result that the researchers easily explained: kids who walk to school are more likely to stop along the way to buy food, usually of the snack variety, and thus to be overweight. Since “walk to school” has been one of the standard weight-control suggestions for parents of chubby offspring, this creates a bit of a conundrum.<\/p>\n Solutions seem elusive. Sending the child to school with no money? The clever child will have stashed some away en route. Declaring convenience stores and fast food outlets near the school “off limits” to students for one hour before and after school? Only if the businesses affected are willing to go along with cutting off one of their steadiest income streams. Accompanying the child to school? Only if you are willing to be resented for the rest of your life for this unthinkable public humiliation. Anyone with an answer is invited to submit it.<\/p>\n They could certainly use one in Manchester.<\/p>\n Coincidentally, among those who may soon be searching for just such an answer are the parents of school kids in Manchester, England, where nearly 20 percent of all 10 and 11-year-olds are dangerously overweight or obese, and where the Health Commission has proposed a ban on all nonresident parking<\/a> near some 1,100 schools, specifically to prevent parents from driving their children to schools and thereby depriving them of the exercise from walking or bicycling. Some parents are already up in arms at this notion, and if they get wind of the U.C. research findings, they could make the argument that such a ban could only make things worse, weight wise.<\/p>\n (By Robert S. Wieder for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)<\/p>\n From the RSS feed of CalorieLab News<\/a> (REF3076322B7)<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWalking to School: C-<\/h3>\n