In the short term, insufficient exercise can inhibit your child's physical development, causing obesity and leading to a number of lifestyle problems, such as poor sleep and depression. The long-term consequences are much worse. Obesity, which results from lack of physical activity and poor diet, increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis and poor overall health, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Insufficient Exercise
If your child is not exercising the recommended amount for his age range, you must ensure he receives more physical activity. According to KidsHealth, toddlers should exercise at least 1.5 hours per day. Preschoolers should exercise two hours per day. School-age children should exercise one hour or more per day. For specific recommendations of suitable exercises, talk to your child's pediatrician.
Finding a Healthy Weight
Obesity is a common symptom of insufficient exercise and poor diet. To determine if a child is overweight, use an online children's body mass index, or BMI, calculator. After you enter height and weight information, the calculator graphs the result so you can determine if your child is underweight, overweight or healthy. This calculator is suitable for children from 2 to 20 years of age. Note that the BMI result is an estimate and does not replace a doctor's examination, which is the best way to determine if your child is overweight.
Special Risks
Children who have or are at risk for certain dangerous medical conditions should exercise more. For example, exercise decreases children's chances of developing obesity, type II diabetes, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol problems. Talk to a pediatrician to determine if your child is at special risk for any of these conditions. If she is, ask your doctor what types of physical activity are suitable for your child.
Benefits
Regular exercise benefits children in many ways. It helps them maintain a healthy weight, decreases stress, improves mood and leads to better sleep. Also, exercise helps their bodies develop correctly, leading to healthy bones, muscles and joints. If your children are in need of any of these benefits, encourage them to adopt a lifestyle that includes plenty of aerobic activity.
