Exercise recommendation for children

Exercise recommendation for children

For children and teens to grow up healthy, bodily and mindly, it’s important they are physically active and eat healthy foods every day.

An active, healthy lifestyle must start early in life to help children develop habits that will last a lifetime. Physical activity has benefits at every age, and helps kids keep their heart and lungs strong and healthy, do better in school, develop neuromuscular awareness, maintain a healthy body weight, become more flexible and develop strong bones, lower the risk of several diseases and health problems and improve their mood and self-esteem.

What are the recommendation for exercise for children?

The American Heart Association, 2016 recommends children aged 2 and older to participate in at least 60 minutes of enjoyable, moderate -intensity physical activities daily that are variable and developmentally appropriate.

The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends that children aged 5-17 do a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity on a daily basis. The majority of this exercise should be of an aerobic nature with bone-loading (such as jumping and running) and muscle-strengthening (such as gymnastics and swimming) activities being incorporated three times per week.

In addition, children should participate in muscle strengthening and bone strengthening activities at least three days a week. Children usually strengthen their muscles when they do gymnastics, climbing trees or playing on playground equipment and jumping rope. Most children are keeping active during the primary school time, however, after school, they should have some time to play outside or do after school professional activities.

In the UK, the government has launched a “wake up and shake up “programme for schools to encourage continuing exercise. A daily ten-minute session of fun activities encouraging movement.

If child unable to do a full 1-hour session then two 30 minutes periods or four 15 minutes periods can also be done. The child is to engage in vigorous activities appropriate to age, gender and stage of physical and emotional development for all health benefits.

 

 

References:

AHA, 2016; The American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Kids

NHS, 2018, Gov.UK. (Number of children getting enough physical activity drops by 40%). London: Public Health England.

WHO, 2018, ‘Physical activity and young people’

By Dr. Fatemeh Aghanasiri

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