Physical Activity For Kids A Priority

Many kids in the United States need more physical activity, as reported by the American College of Sports Medicine. 

According to Dr. Russell R. Pate, a professor at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, only about one out of four children in the U.S. are getting the recommended amount of physical activity each day.

The current physical activity for kids guidelines recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate activity for kids ages 6 to 15 years. Moderate activity can include a wide range of things like brisk walking, dribbling a basketball, exploring a playground, hiking in the woods, or slow jogging.

Perhaps even more troubling, the percentage of kids that spend half of their day being sedentary goes up as kids get older. Just 8 percent of kids between 12 and 15 years of age get more than an hour of moderate physical activity each day.

Nation’s Report Card Considers Physical Activity For Kids

The nation’s report card looked at 10 facets of kids’ physical activity including involvement in unstructured and structured sports and activities, school physical education classes, and time spent at parks and playgrounds. Only 13% of kids reported walking or biking to school and other related activities. Check out the full report here: https://www.physicalactivityplan.org/