healthykids
Fitness is
by Catherine s. gregory
we may lead an active lifestyle—but what about The American Academy of Pediatrics
our kids? startling statistics show that in the past
recommends a maximum of two hours
a day. Focus instead on increasing ac-
20 years, the number of overweight children has
tivity time.
increased by more than 50 percent.
start ‘em Young
One of the best activities going is
a
ccording to the Centers for Dis- into a hypometabolic state,” advises exercising together as a family. Parents’
ease Control and Prevention’s Barbara Brehm, professor of exercise attitudes and fi tness choices play a role
1999-2000 National Health and and sports studies at Smith College, in in piquing kids’ interest; the younger
Nutrition Examination Survey, fewer Northampton, Massachusetts. Mean- the child, the stronger the impression.
than one in four children get 20 min- while, budget cuts in schools have “Start from day one,” says Brehm. “If
utes of vigorous activity each day, and reduced or eliminated many physical you try to push fi tness on a teenager,
almost half of young people ages 12 to education programs. they may rebel and become sedentary,
21 do not participate in any vigorous Physical fi tness is well known for so the trick is to fi gure out what activi-
physical activity at all. building strength and endurance and ties the teens hate the least or enjoy the
The main culprit is a sedentary life- warding off illness and disease, such as most and help to promote that.”
style. For most American children, the Type 2 diabetes, once an adult affl ic- Children’s physical development
average amount of energy consumed tion, now increasing among youth. also determines which activities are
from food hasn’t changed over the past Studies also show that physical well- appropriate. Brehm notes how creating
two decades, but physical activity has being is linked to increased academic structured exercise for young children
taken a nosedive. Experts blame the performance. “I think kids need ex- can result in negative attitudes toward
drop in physical activity on an obses- ercise to focus, to prevent depression fi tness. Instead, the emphasis should
sion with the screen: Kids are spending and feelings of stress,” Brehm observes. be on unstructured play. Kids under 5
25 hours or more per week in front of “They need it to stay healthy, both emo- love to play at the park and engage in
television, video games and computers. tionally and physically.” games of noncompetitive tag or playful
“Kids actually burn fewer calories So, how can parents encourage snowball jousts. Basic physical skills,
watching television than they do just kids to get active? We can start by limit- such as throwing, kicking and jumping
sitting still. It’s as though TV puts them ing their exposure to electronic screens. are good activities at this age.
28
Greater Cincinnati Edition / nacincin.com
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