Exercise and Children

We all know that physical exercise is important to keep adults healthy…BUT…did you know that it is JUST as important for CHILDREN?

The CDC (2018) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise for ADULTS each week, including 2 days a week of strength training.

The recommendations for CHILDREN (ages 6-17 years) is at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise each day, including aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening activities       (CDC, 2018).

Exercise helps to improve PHYSICAL HEALTH by building      healthier HEARTS and LUNGS, stronger MUSCLES and BONES,     and DECREASING the risk of DISEASES… 
…But it improves BRAIN healtH as well!

Exercise FEEDS the brain, IMPROVES memory, and REDUCES stress.

The 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children found that children who met the exercise recommendations showed better cognition, brain function, and mental health.

They also showed improved   attention, focus, and  concentration

Exercise releases “feel good chemicals” called ENDORPHINS into the brain, decreasing pain and creating an overall sense of well-being.

Children who exercise also demonstrated

  • better school performance
  • greater creative thinking and problem solving
  • improved mental health
  • less depression, stress, and anxiety
  • better resiliency, especially in teen years
  • higher self esteem, better self concept, and greater self worth

But wait...there's MORE...

Regular physical exercise also often leads to other healthy habits such as improved sleep patterns, better diet, a decreased risk for being overweight, and less screen time, leading to an overall healthier lifestyle, and improved quality of life.

Another interesting perspective…exercise can help us to learn to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Athletes know that feeling uncomfortable during competitions is part of the process, but they learn to cope with it instead of trying to escape it.  This could carry over into other aspects of our lives as well!  

Any way you look at it, exercise for anyone, but especially for children, is beneficial.  The rewards stretch way beyond managing weight or keeping the body healthy.  The impact that exercise has on mental and emotional well-being, and the positive effects on brain functions and learning, are invaluable!

References

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical               Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. Washington,                 DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.   https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines/current-guidelines