FITNESS FOR KIDS
Do your children spend more time inside the house
watching television or playing computer games than
they spend playing outside? Do you know that motivating
your children to be active not only improves their
health and well-being now, but may also benefit their health
later in life?
Too Many Kids Today are not active !
Inactivity is becoming an epidemic among
children. Children today are less active than they were just
a few
years ago because of many factors, including less
participation in daily physical education classes at school.
Kids
need to be active !
Lack of exercise is a major reason for the
growing rate of obesity among children. Watching TV for even
as
few as two to five hours per week is linked to being
overweight. Sadly enough, the number of children who
watch five or more hours of television per day has increased
dramatically in recent years. Instead of just
watching TV, encourage your children to spend time each day
in play that requires them to be physically active. Health professionals agree that physical activity is
essential to helping children not only reach, but more importantly maintain, a healthy weight.
Exercises
can strengthen children's bones as well as later in life.
Children who participate in
weight-bearing, impact sports such as running, gymnastics,
tumbling, and dance
have higher bone density than children who are not
active or children whose major activity is a non-weight-
bearing exercise such as swimming. Building strong
bones in childhood helps to maintain bone health later in
life.
Active
children may increase their chance of becoming healthy
adults.
Children who enjoy exercise may develop a lifelong,
healthy habit of being physically active. If they stay
active as adults, they will enjoy better health and may live longer
than their less active peers. Physical activity
can decrease the risk of obesity, cancer, diabetes, high
blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease among adults. People who remain active on a regular basis tend to live
longer than people who are not regularly active.
Children need to consume a healthy diet and plenty of
fluids for active play. Children need to consume adequate calories to provide them with the energy to be active.
Foods provide children with the energy and nutrients they need to grow and the energy they need for active
play. Active children also need to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise.
The U.S. government and numerous health professional
organizations recommend that children and adolescents participate in 30 minutes or more of
moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.
Motivate
your kids to move for the fun of it!
The key word to motivating kids to be active is
"fun." According to experts, children participate
in physical activity
for enjoyment. Take one step at a time. Encourage your child
to swim, bike, or play ball with friends, or take a 10-minute activity break while doing homework, watching TV,
or playing computer or video games. Motivate your child to participate in school-organized sports and physical
education classes!
Become a role
model !
Get the whole family involved in games, bicycling, or other
active play. If you're involved, your child is more
likely
to get involved. Participating in physical activities
together may also increase the amount of quality time you
spend with your child.
