| About 14% children and teens report... | | | | You could also help your child participate in |
| ...no physical activity like walking or cycling, everyday. | | | | school-organized sports and activities. |
| This can be one of the reasons why the number of | | | | There are guidelines that should be kept in mind |
| children has doubled since the early 1970s. In 2000, | | | | when involving your child in physical activity according |
| 19% of children, 6 to 11 years old, and 17%, 12 to 19 | | | | to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1997) |
| years old, are considered overweight. | | | | and the Council for Physical Education for Children |
| Those who are involved in physical activities, reduce | | | | (1998). Children should at least be physically active |
| the risks of developing health problems as they grow | | | | within 30 to 60 minutes on all or most of the days of |
| older. Exercising reduces the risks of obesity, | | | | the week. Moderate to vigorous activity a day should |
| diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and heart | | | | last for about 10 to 15 minutes. Playing games and |
| disease. But making your child follow a 30 minute | | | | activities like biking, walking, running, etc. should also |
| exercise video is no fun for your kid. There are | | | | be included in the child’s activities. |
| fitness centers that have children workout program, | | | | To encourage physical activity, make sure to |
| they would include biking, swimming, walking, | | | | implement rules that would lead to healthier lifestyle. |
| marching, playing games to introduce low, moderate | | | | This would include setting time for watching television |
| and high impact aerobics and physical activity. | | | | and computer games. Aside from that, make sure |
| Introducing children and teens to aerobics would help | | | | that your child would be eating meals not in front of |
| them become more active and at the same time, | | | | the television or computer. This would promote or |
| change their outlook towards the lifestyle they will be | | | | give time for parents to talk to children during meals. |
| having as they grow old. There are also fitness | | | | The easiest way to teach and encourage children to |
| centers which offer exercise programs suitable for | | | | exercise is to set an example. Obesity and |
| children and teens, based on their age, skill and of | | | | overweight problems are not just children health |
| course, their fitness and personal condition. | | | | concerns, alarmingly, a lot of adults also suffer from |
| There are also CDs and DVDs that mix an aerobic | | | | these health problems. The family exercising together |
| workout with dances and other fun ways. Teens and | | | | helps the family build stronger and closer relationships. |
| older children may enjoy dancing to hip-hop and | | | | Aerobics would not only benefit your child, but the |
| modern dances. Some would also show interest in | | | | whole family as well. |
| doing aerobic dances, kickboxing, yoga and Pilates. | | | | |