Too Little
The Need to Supplement the School Day
Current school systems fail to ensure each child meets the minimum 60 minutes of physical activity daily through Physical Education classes and recess. This is a significant barrier for children to be active. Families need to supplement the school day with ways to increase physical activity in other parts of the day.
Less than 60 Minutes Daily
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A lifestyle in which a child does not routinely meet the minimum requirement of 60 minutes of physical activity daily puts a child at greater risk for health concerns in the future. This inactive lifestyle can greatly increase health concerns such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and many other concerns. In our youth’s formative years it is important to build good physical activity habits. It is an ever growing issue with advancements in technology, social media, and entertainment.
At Risk
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Children with inactive lifestyles greatly increase their chances of negative health concerns. There is a direct link from physical inactivity and sedentary behavior to being overweight and obese. Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure, type two diabetes, and heart disease among other critical health concerns than children who receive 60 minutes of daily physical activity or more. We are setting up our youth for future problems if we do not correct this issue.
Lifelong Impact
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Being physically inactive as a youth is not healthy for the child’s wellbeing at the moment but also creates bad habits. Creating inactive habits as a child can last through adolescence and into adulthood. A child could be less likely to seek out opportunities for physical activity and sports due to being overweight or obese, further continuing the problem of an inactive lifestyle. This could set up the child for a lifetime of health concerns.