Children today are facing unprecedented levels of stress. They are dealing with more peer pressure and the pressure to excel in school than ever before. It's not surprising that some children are turning to unhealthy habits like drug use, violence, or addiction as a way to cope with their stress. Fortunately, there is one simple solution: making sure they have time each day for physical activity and healthy eating habits.
Many children are not as physically active as they should be.
Children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. However, many children are not as physically active as they should be.
There are several reasons for this:
- The school day has become more sedentary. In the past few decades, schools have reduced recess time and added more classroom work and technology use (e.g., computers). This reduces the time for active play outside of school hours. Parents may have less time to spend playing with their kids because more parents are working outside the home. Competition between siblings can lead younger children to avoid doing things that might make older siblings jealous or upset them. Children learn at different rates; some will catch on quickly while others need more time before they feel comfortable trying new skills in sports or other activities. Some families do not have transportation available so getting out into nature on a regular basis isn't always possible
There is a lack of physical activity in schools and community centers.
The lack of physical activity in schools and communities is a serious issue. It's not just a matter of being able to run around and play outside. There are many factors that contribute to this problem, including:
- Schools aren't as active as they used to be. In the past, children would go outside for recess every day or spend time playing sports after school with their friends. Nowadays many schools have limited physical education programs or none at all!
- Community centers are also becoming less active places for kids these days because many centers don't offer programs like sports leagues anymore either (or if they do, it's only one season per year). This means kids won't get much exercise unless their families take them somewhere else on weekends/holidays--and even then there aren't always good options available nearby...so what happens? Well...you guessed it...they become overweight due to lackadaisical habits during weekdays too!
Many children are getting less than optimal nutrition.
Youth fitness training is a great way to ensure that your child is getting the nutrients they need to grow into healthy adults. Here are some examples of healthy foods that kids should eat:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Eggs
- Whole grains (like brown rice or quinoa)
Mental and emotional health is also affected by physical activity levels.
Physical activity can also help with mental health. Physical activity helps the body produce hormones that make us feel good, such as endorphins and serotonin. This means that physical activity can relieve stress, anxiety, mood swings, and depression. It also helps with sleep issues like insomnia or trouble falling asleep at night. The same goes for memory improvement; regular exercise has been shown to improve cognitive function in older adults by boosting brain power through increased oxygen flow to the brain (Ridgers et al., 2016).
Physical activity plays an important role in maintaining a healthy mind as well as body: it can help prevent or treat chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes (Kelley & Kelley-Moorei). In addition to keeping your heart healthy, studies show that regular exercise can reduce blood pressure levels (Kelley & Kelley-Moorei).
Children who have access to daily physical activity have better academic performance, higher self-esteem, and better social skills.
- Physical activity improves focus and concentration.
- Physical activity improves academic performance.
- Physical activity improves self-esteem.
- Physically active children have better social skills than their inactive peers, according to a study. They're also less likely to be aggressive or get into fights at school than their sedentary classmates, who may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors like smoking or drinking alcohol before they reach adulthood (and even then). The same research suggests that kids who are physically fit are less likely than those who aren't fit to suffer from depression when they're older adults too!
There's also evidence that physical fitness helps children manage behavior problems better; one study found that children with ADHD symptoms who participated in aerobic exercise programs reported fewer symptoms after two months than did those who didn't participate at all during this time period--and this was true regardless of whether these kids were taking medication for their condition during those two months!
You can't underestimate the importance of healthy habits for kids!
There's no question that physical activity and healthy eating are important for kids. But what about mental and emotional health?
Your child's ability to develop good habits early on in life can have a significant impact on their future success, both academically and socially. Research shows that children who exercise regularly perform better in school, have stronger immune systems, and experience less stress than those who don't exercise regularly. The same goes for healthy eating - studies show that kids who eat well tend to be more successful later in life than those who don't eat well.
The good news is that starting young doesn't mean you need a lot of money or time; there are plenty of things you can do today with very little investment! Here are some ideas:
Conclusion
The bottom line is that children who are physically active have better academic performance, higher self-esteem, and better social skills. They also have fewer behavioral problems and are less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety. Furthermore, there is evidence that exercise can improve memory function and stimulate brain development in children who exercise regularly.
