Bike Paths Could Be A Thing Of The Past If More Kids Don't Take Up Riding

Sales Have Dropped By 22 %


Article heading image for Bike Paths Could Be A Thing Of The Past If More Kids Don't Take Up Riding

A significant drop in the number of children's bikes sold has raised alarm bells among public health experts concerned about a lack of physical activity among young Australians.

Children's bike sales have dropped by 22 per cent in the past decade, with sales decreasing by 110,000 units from 492,000 to 382,000 according to data from the Australian Health Policy Collaboration at Victoria University.

Currently most kids are being chauffeured to these days instead of riding to school, which is making their physical activity worryingly low and contributing to weight gain.

It's estimated that 71 per cent of children and 92 per cent of those aged between 12 and 17 do not meet the recommended guidelines of three hours per day for physical activity in Australia.

This has sparked concerns with health experts who will meet with The Australian Cycling Promotion Foundation today to discuss a national approach to promote active travel to and from school for all children.

Stephen Hodge spokesperson of The Australian Cycling Promotion Foundation has said “The ACPF believes that the declining sales are a simple indicator that we need to do more to make walking and cycling a real option every day for our children...We call on governments at all levels to focus on safe routes to school for our children as a first step to building a healthier, more engaged and more successful future generation."

28 August 2017




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