Walk this Way...

We are living in an obesogenic environment, especially when we choose to de-neighbour and pursue a culture of automobility.

According to Stats Canada, only 7% of school-aged children get the bare minimum of daily physical activity needed to stay healthy. We're not just talking about push-ups, running, or weight-lifting. We're talking about basic stuff like climbing stairs and walking.

According to new guidelines, kids aged 5 -17 do at least 60 minutes of "moderate to vigorous" exercise every day, while adults should clock 150 minutes a week.

Only 9% of boys and 4% of girls made the minimum, while 17% of men and 14% of women made it.

The study also found that adults spend 9.5 hours a day, or 69% of their waking hours, doing "sedentary pursuits" like sitting at desk or on a couch.

Their children are learning from that example. They spend 8.6 hours, or 62% of their waking day, on their butts. Teens aged 15 - 19 are immobile for nine hours a day.

This is about much more than big bellies and broad behinds. Our kids' lack of exercise (even "low-end exercise" like walking to school or playing tag) can lead to all kinds of problems later in life, including diabetes, cancer and cardio-vascular disease.

"We have a dangerous physical inactivity crisis in Canada, it is urgent that all Canadians take action so that we can reverse this dangerous societal trend." (Kelly Murumets, ParticiPACTION)

Many kids are driven to school, driven to sports, driven to the mall, and they learn this pattern of driving everywhere, losing touch with walking, biking and connection to the natural environment.

When we re-discover our neighbourhood and surrounding area, and begin to develop patterns of inhabiting it, we discover that we can walk to school, bike to meet friends and even discover ways to be outside when it's cold and snowy!

Would Jesus have it any other way?

Colossians 2:6-7
My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.