This indicator measures the percent of youth (grades 9-12) who meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily. More than 75% of youth in Chittenden County are not meeting physical activity guidelines.

In 1969 nearly half of all Kindergarten through 8th grade students nationally walked to and from school. As of 2009, only 13% of students walked to and from school. This shift is underpinned by several issues including community design, placement of new schools outside of developed areas, varying perceptions of safety, etc. Adapting infrastructure to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists as well as motorists is one strategy to increase opportunity for physical activity, be it recreational or destination-oriented.

Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Vermont Law stipulates that all planning, development, construction, and maintenance of paved roads consider Complete Streets principles. Recent transportation projects in Chittenden County have employed these principles to enable users of all modes and abilities to travel safely. Route 2 (Williston Rd) in South Burlington, Colchester Ave. in Burlington and Pine Street in Burlington have all undergone recent redesigns to accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists more effectively. A pilot redesign of North Avenue in Burlington has concluded.

Click the Toggle Comparison button to view the percent of adolescents in grades 9-12 meeting physical activity guidelines by maternal level of education. 2015 is the last year that data is available by maternal education.

Community design plays an important role in improving access to physical activity. Research shows that people living in highly walkable, mixed-use communities are more than twice as likely to get 30 or more minutes of daily exercise as those living in auto-oriented, single-use areas. As street connectivity and residential density increases, the amount of physical activity typical residents get each day increases.

Additionally, access to public transportation also positively impacts physical activity levels. People who used public transportation for any reason were less likely to be sedentary or obese than adults who did not use public transportation. With few exceptions, proximity to public transit stops was linked to higher transit use and higher levels of physical activity among adults.

For more information go to:

http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/sites/default/files/...

http://healthvermont.gov/family/fit/documents/Comp...

Vermont Department of Health Fit and Healthy Kids

Local Schools

Vermont Department of Health, Burlington District Office, Physical Activity and Nutrition Program