Fitness and health go hand in hand for children of all ages. A physically fit child eats well and maintains a healthy weight with an active lifestyle. An improper fitness regimen may cause your child to gain excess weight, leaving him open to potential problems that can plague him for the rest of his life. Learning the facts about fitness and health for kids highlights the importance of getting your children into the habit of leading a physically active lifestyle.
Significance
Exercise and proper nutrition play a dual role in promoting fitness and health for kids. Improper nutrition in children typically rears its head in the form of excessive consumption of fat- and sugar-packed foods, such as soda, candy and sodium-heavy processed foods. Children burn these calories through physical activity; calories your child doesn't burn get stored in the body as fat. Inadequate physical activity increases your child's chances of developing multiple health problems, including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
Features
Children should participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day to promote health. Include a mix of aerobic exercises, like running and walking, as well as muscle- and bone-strengthening activities, like push-ups and jumping rope. Providing a mix of these activities helps strengthen your child's heart, lungs and bones, as well as builds her muscles and burns excess fat.
Considerations
Most children don't have the discipline and habits to maintain a fit, healthy lifestyle on their own, so you'll need to play a leading role in guiding and encouraging your kids' eating and exercise habits. Model a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole-grain bread products and low-fat dairy products. Make a conscious effort to fit exercise into your schedule on a regular basis, inviting your child along whenever possible to make fitness a family activity. Don't forget to limit sedentary activities, like watching television and playing video games, to provide more time for your kids to engage in active play outside.
Benefits
Being fit doesn't just promote kids' physical health; it also can do wonders for their emotional health and academic performance. Kids who are physically fit and have a healthy body weight tend to feel better about themselves and typically have higher self-esteem and more self-confidence than their overweight counterparts. Similarly, physical fitness plays a role in enhancing a child's academic performance, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's 2010 Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism. Led by Lesley A. Cottrell, Ph.D., West Virginia University associate professor of pediatrics, the study assessed fifth graders' fitness and academic performance, then checked the same students two years later when they were in seventh grade. Those children that were most physically fit in both fifth and seventh grades also had the highest academic performance levels in both grades.
Member Comments