Walking FOR schools vs. TO schools.

BellSouth takes on obesity by way of a new program www.walkingworksforschoolstn.com.

This press release explains that

More than 30 elementary schools and approximately 13,000 students will participate in the program aimed at improving children's health by encouraging physical activity during the school day with a simple activity--walking. Pilot sites supported by the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Program include schools located in Gibson, Henry, Macon, Monroe, Tipton, Washington and Warren counties. Cheatham and Davidson counties also have schools participating in the pilot. The program will roll out to all public K-4 schools in Tennessee during the fall of 2006 and will eventually expand to grade 5, impacting more than 220,000 students.

All this because:

An estimated 19 to 30 percent of Tennessee school students are overweight and 25 to 43 percent of Tennessee students are at risk for being overweight, according to the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Program.

That 'at risk of' phrase is being used way too often now days and we all have been astonished at the recalibrating of the weight charts. Pres. Bush has been deemed overweight by the health charts and yet the fittest president as well.

If we spent money on sidewalks (in lieu of--oh say municipal computer networks) so that children could safely walk to school and parents could accompany their children on one of those old-fashioned after dinner walks on a safer street maybe we'd all be healthier.