Here's how much exercise your kids actually need
| Jun 25, 2019, 11:18 IST
Exercise is the one thing that can help you stay fit and healthy. All you need to do is pick one form of exercise that you prefer and get started. Many adults ensure that they exercise on a daily basis to help keep themselves in tip-top condition. But when it comes to kids, we just tend to let things slide. What's important to understand is that time has changed. Kids no longer go out to play for long hours which means that they're hardly getting any physical activity because they're sitting at home, glued to a screen.
But as much as you may think that it's alright for your child to not get any exercise, you're severely undermining the role it can play in their health and wellbeing. As per guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children aged 6 and above should get at least one hour of exercise per day. This exercise should include moderate to vigorous physical activity and must be this way for at least three days a week. They also recommended that children between the age of 3-5 should be active throughout the day.
"Exercise should be used as a vital sign of health. There are numerous advantages of physical activity. Asking these questions can open the door for clinicians to have important conversations with families on how to ensure children get these benefits," said abstract presenter Julie Young. Physical activity can help provide a number of benefits to children aged 6-17 years. They show improved aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and endurance.
However, another study found that more than half of the children in the United States were not getting the recommended amount of exercise while the ones that did get exercise went so overboard that they risked getting burned out or developing injuries due to strain. As per a survey on the data provided by 7,822 children, only 5.2 percent of children reported getting the recommended amount of exercise while 49.6 percent were insufficiently active, and 5 percent were reported no physical activity.
It was also noted that physical activity increased with age so younger kids were less active. However, the researchers stressed that even young kids needed more activity since it is essential in developing basic motor skills as well as physical literacy. Stay tuned for more updates.
But as much as you may think that it's alright for your child to not get any exercise, you're severely undermining the role it can play in their health and wellbeing. As per guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children aged 6 and above should get at least one hour of exercise per day. This exercise should include moderate to vigorous physical activity and must be this way for at least three days a week. They also recommended that children between the age of 3-5 should be active throughout the day.
"Exercise should be used as a vital sign of health. There are numerous advantages of physical activity. Asking these questions can open the door for clinicians to have important conversations with families on how to ensure children get these benefits," said abstract presenter Julie Young. Physical activity can help provide a number of benefits to children aged 6-17 years. They show improved aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and endurance.
However, another study found that more than half of the children in the United States were not getting the recommended amount of exercise while the ones that did get exercise went so overboard that they risked getting burned out or developing injuries due to strain. As per a survey on the data provided by 7,822 children, only 5.2 percent of children reported getting the recommended amount of exercise while 49.6 percent were insufficiently active, and 5 percent were reported no physical activity.
It was also noted that physical activity increased with age so younger kids were less active. However, the researchers stressed that even young kids needed more activity since it is essential in developing basic motor skills as well as physical literacy. Stay tuned for more updates.