Preventing Childhood Obesity - Evidence Policy and Practice.pdf

Chapter 13
capacity to support children ’ s rights, among them the
right to “ participate freely and fully in city life ” ,
including walking safely on the street. 50 – 52 The UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by all
member states in 2000, includes “ the child ’ s right to
live in a safe, clear, and healthy environment and to
engage in free play, leisure and recreation in the environment
” . 50 It sees children as “ the future contributors,
decision makers, and citizens of the world ” , and
children ’ s well - being and quality of life as prime indicators
of a healthy environment, good governance and
sustainable development. 50
There are a plethora of child assemblies, consultation
processes with children and youth, and child -
empowering activities taking place, including many
that are directly related to active transport and independent
mobility. Dozens of European and Latin
American cities have child assemblies where children
regularly co-plan developments.53,54 In the USA, there
is a Community - Based Education Resource ( CUBE )
manual on child - oriented communities: the Dutch
Institute of Design has published design guidelines for
children, and the Canadian Institute of Planners
has A Kid ’ s Guide to Building Great Communities .
55
However, the Child Friendly Cities commitment from
local governments is often limited to vision and consultation
rather than implementation, and a review of
the Child Friendly Cities database has found very
limited information on outcomes arising from
projects.
53
Despite such limitations, the Italian projects, in
particular, have led to substantial changes in both the
physical and the social environment. In Fano, the
Children ’ s City project combines letting children plan
urban renewal through creative laboratories, children
’ s councils that entrench participatory planning
practices, and initiatives to encourage autonomy.
Certain streets have been closed to traffic, access to
sports installations and equipment has been improved,
and there has been increased redevelopment of public
squares and semi - public areas within condominium
areas as play spaces. In Pistoia, the project “ Safe
Routes round the school C. Collodi ” has led to
increases in children walking to the school by themselves
since its inception in 2000, although exact
figures are not provided, and children have also
reclaimed a square near the school that was previously
used as a car park. 52 Identifying the concerns and/or
neighborhood improvements important to children
may increase their interests in using such spaces
actively and autonomously.
Conclusion
There is a clear interrelationship between declines in
CIM, reduced everyday physical activity and increased
obesity rates. However, the evidence base on what
might work to increase children ’ s independent mobility
is still poor, partly because it is still not recognized
as a policy priority, and partly because the mechanisms
to include children in evaluating and changing
their urban environments are so poor. Traffic calming
is promising at the very local level of the individual
street, but does not appear to address underlying
parental concerns about CIM, or to expand children ’ s
home territory much beyond the immediate vicinity
of the home. The evidence base on School Travel
Plans and walking school bus is mixed in terms of
success, and again, focuses on a set of specific routes
to one place (the school) rather than the entire community.
A more holistic emphasis on children ’ s participation
in planning, encompassing both physical
design and social change, is evident in Child Friendly
Cities, but there is, at present, limited evidence that
this approach works to change environments, let
alone change behaviors or lead to resultant improvements
in health and well - being. More holistic research
is needed on how children actually travel: their needs,
desires, and the built and social environment factors
that may work to make children free to explore their
local communities and lead healthier active lives.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial
support of the Australasian Centre for the Governance
and Management of Urban Transport ( GAMUT ).
References
1 Hillman M , Adams J , Whitelegg J : One False Move … A
Study of Children ’ s Independent Mobility . London : Policy
Studies Institute , 1990 .
2 Hillman M : Are We Developing Battery - reared or Free -
range Children? Perth : Western Australia Pedestrian
Advisory Council Seminar , 2002 .
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