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Besides eating healthy, physical activity among children is important for promoting lifelong health and well-being as well as preventing various health conditions. Because children spend most of their time in the classroom, school and at home are ideal settings to teach and model healthy behavior. In fact, physical activity is one of the most important parts of your family's health.
The 2008 US Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years should have 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day. Unfortunately, many children and adolescents do not meet the recommendations set forth in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans due to increase use of television and electronics. According to research, too much sedentary time can led to obesity and other health conditions. Only 21.6% of 6 to 19 – year –old children and adolescents in the United States attained 60 or more minutes of moderate –to- vigorous physical activity on at least 5 days per week (CDC, 2017).
Like adults, increased physical activity has been associated with an increased life expectancy and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, physical activity helps with:
For more information or to schedule a nutrition program for your group, contact Aneisha Andrus, Area Nutrition Agent, LSU AgCenter, 337-239-3231 or email aandrus@agcenter.lsu.edu.
Center for Disease Control & Prevention (2017). Physical Activity Facts.
American Heart Association (2013). AHA’s Recommendations for Physical Activity in Children.
The Pennington BioMedical Research Center/LSU AgCenter (2005). Physical Activity Guidelines for Children
