Answer:
Regular physical activity promotes health and well being. Consistent exercise is associated with improvements in muscle development, bone strength, weight control, mental health, and academic performance in young people (1). Compared with those who are physically inactive, children who exercise regularly are less likely to develop risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes and are more likely to carry active lifestyles into adulthood (1, 2).
Health experts recommend that children and adolescents ages 6-17 participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for a minimum of 60 minutes each day (1, 2). Exercise should include aerobic activity (e.g., running or bicycling), muscle strengthening (e.g., push-ups), and bone strengthening (e.g., jumping rope), each at least 3 days per week (1). However, according to 2016 estimates, fewer than one in four young people nationwide get this recommended amount of physical activity (1, 2). Further, inequities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status persist, with children of color less likely to meet recommended levels of physical fitness and low-income communities offering fewer opportunities for children to be physically active (2, 3).
Find more information about children's physical fitness in kidsdata.org's Research & Links section. Also see kidsdata.org's Weight topic for information about overweight and obese youth.
Explanation:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Physical activity facts. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm
2. National Physical Activity Plan Alliance. (2018). The 2018 United States report card on physical activity for children and youth. Retrieved from: https://www.physicalactivityplan.org/projects/reportcard.html
3. As cited on kidsdata.org, Students meeting all fitness standards, by race/ethnicity and grade level. (2019). California Department of Education.
