Pediatricians agree that the healthiest way for children to grow is through regular physical activity. But what are the best ways for parents and caregivers to encourage their kids to engage in the necessary daily physical activity? Here are some tips from pediatricians:
In the United States, nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese.
The number of overweight children has increased in the last 20 years, while the number of obese children has increased even more rapidly. In fact, obesity rates have tripled in some age groups during that time period. These statistics suggest that we need to take action now if we want our kids to lead healthy lifestyles later in life.
Obesity is one of the leading health risks for American children.
Kids are at a higher risk of obesity than adults because they have different needs when it comes to nutrition and physical activity. As kids get older--and especially after puberty begins--their bodies need more energy than they used to get from food alone. This means that if you're not eating enough calories or getting enough exercise, your body will start storing fat instead of burning it off through movement like running or playing soccer with your friends!
That's why it's important for parents who want their kids at a healthy weight not only to teach them good habits now but also model those behaviors themselves: if mom eats lots of fruits/vegetables every day at lunchtime then chances are she'll have no problem making sure there's plenty available at home too!
Lack of physical activity is associated with an increased risk of being overweight or obese in children and teens.
- Physical activity is a key component of a healthy lifestyle.
- Regular physical activity helps to maintain a healthy weight, which reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- In addition to helping with overall health, physical activity provides many benefits including:
- improved mood and stress relief;
- better sleep;
- better posture and coordination;
- a stronger immune system;
Obesity increases the likelihood that a child will develop chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure later in life.
- Obesity can lead to other health problems.
- Diabetes is a condition where your body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it properly. This causes glucose (sugar) levels in your blood to rise, which can damage your eyesight, kidneys, and nerves over time.
- Heart disease occurs when there is a hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (atherosclerosis). It may cause chest pain or shortness of breath when you exercise vigorously or lie down suddenly after being active for long periods of time without resting enough between activities; these symptoms are called angina pectoris because they occur on one side of the chest only (pectoris means "of/near/about the chest"). Symptoms are relieved by rest within minutes after they occur so they do not require immediate medical attention unless they persist longer than 10 minutes despite rest taken between episodes. High blood pressure increases the risk for stroke because it damages small blood vessels supplying oxygenated blood (stroke) throughout our bodies including those leading directly into our brains which could be fatal if left untreated
Studies have demonstrated that physical activity can help prevent obesity, improve overall health and fitness, increase motor skills, enhance academic performance, and boost self-esteem.
A meta-analysis of studies was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between physical activity and obesity in children aged 5-12 years old. After reviewing the literature on this topic it was found that moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) has been shown to be associated with lower body mass index (BMI) in children aged 5-12 years old.
Being active helps kids stay healthy
Physical activity can help prevent obesity and other chronic health problems. It also improves physical fitness, motor skills, academic performance, self-esteem, and overall health.
The problem is that American children are becoming more obese. In fact, in the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has tripled from 5% to 17%. This trend has been linked to an increasing number of children who do not get enough exercise each day (less than 60 minutes per day).
Obesity increases the likelihood that a child will develop chronic illnesses such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes later in life. In addition to being unhealthy now, obesity may prevent you from living independently as an adult because these conditions require daily medication for treatment and management. The good news is that there are many things you can do to prevent obesity from occurring in your child. By making simple changes to their diet and lifestyle, you can help them maintain a healthy weight throughout their childhood.
Conclusion
The health benefits of physical activity for children are clear, and parents can help their children get started by making sure they lead active lives. Choose activities that kids enjoy and make sure they have plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day. As your child grows older (and bigger!), keep an eye on how much time he or she spends sitting down with screens--they should not be replacing exercise time spent outside as well as in other activities like sports or dance classes!
