ACT Health Minister Simon Corbell said the program, which was launched by former Chief Minister Katy Gallagher in November, allowed schools to encourage safe cycling and increase student's physical activity.

"We know that children who get at least sixty minutes or more of moderate physical activity every day through activities such as walking, cycling or scooting to-and-from school have improved cardiovascular fitness compared to children who don't," he said.

According to the Chief Health Officer's latest report close to one-quarter of ACT children are overweight or obese with only 20-30 per cent exercising for at least an hour a day.

One in five girls entering kindergarten in the ACT are classified as overweight and obese and boys are faring little better – about one in eight are above the healthy weight range, ACT Health statistics show.

"The ride or walk to school program is a part of the solution to turn these figures around, and it provides an important intervention where parents and teachers can model healthy behaviours to children now, which can help to prevent chronic diseases later in life," Mr Corbell said.

Heart Foundation ACT chief executive Tony Stubbs there had been a rapid decline in the number of children walking or cycling to school during the last four decades.

"Using active transport like riding or walking is a convenient way to build more physical activity into a child's day," he said.

"Observational studies have consistently shown that children who walk or cycle to school engage in more physical activity than those who travel by other means."

Mr Stubbs said many Canberrans were hesitant to ride to school or work because of safety concerns and a lack of cycling paths.

"We need to be creating built environments in Canberra that improve connectivity, eliminate barriers and encourage people, especially school kids, to cycle and walk instead of hopping in the car," he said.

The program will be delivered to up to 50 ACT schools by the Physical Activity Foundation over the next three years thanks to a $570,000 grant.

"The ACT government is committed to supporting a healthy, active and productive community and has made it a priority to address the challenging numbers of overweight and obese people within the ACT community, particularly among our children," Mr Corbell said.

A Heart Foundation ACT audit released in March found primary school students were strategically targeted by unhealthy food advertising, despite childhood obesity being one of the most serious health problems in the territory.