A new report from the Institute of Medicine says schools should be responsible for helping pupils engage in at least 60 minutes of vigorous or moderate intensity activity during each school day. Show
No more than half of American youth meet current evidence-based guidelines of at least an hour of vigorous or moderate intensity physical activity daily, according to the report, which was released today. "Because children are in school for nearly half of their waking hours, the committee recommends a Whole-of-School approach to strengthening physical activity in schools," said Harold W. Kohl III, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and kinesiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). "The approach would target physical education, active commuting, before and after-school activities, sports and other opportunities to help children meet the 60 minutes per day of vigorous or moderate intensity physical activity." Kohl chaired the committee that wrote the report. The "Whole-of-School" approach would encourage activities such as walking or riding a bike to school while discouraging inactivity. Recess, lunch breaks and frequent classroom breaks should be included and not taken away as punishment, according to the report. Although many state laws require some physical education, the report urges the U.S. Department of Education to include physical education as a core subject. The report says that quality physical education can potentially influence body mass index (BMI) and other important health outcomes in youth. "Physical activity is so central to children's health, development and learning that schools should naturally be involved with physical activity for students," Kohl said. "Research shows that physical activity helps children think faster, improves their cognitive performance and helps them reach their academic potential." An estimated 17 percent of children in the United States are obese. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled. Childhood obesity can lead to hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and breast and colon cancer. The report also says education and public health agencies should monitor physical activity and physical education in the schools to provide a foundation to plan, develop and implement physical health policies that could give families and government officials the data and knowledge to help support the "Whole-of-School" approach to physical education. Parents are the first line of defense to help promote healthy lifestyles for their children, Kohl said. "Parents can also do many things to help their kids become more active," Kohl said. "First, they can talk to the principal at their child's school to ensure that all children have access to physical education, and they can be a good role model for their children by being active every day with their kids." The study was sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The entire study is available online: Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School.
Story Source: Materials provided by University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity. Everyone can experience the health benefits of physical activity – age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size do not matter. Immediate BenefitsSome benefits of physical activity on brain health [PDF-14.4MB] happen right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Benefits include improved thinking or cognition for children 6 to 13 years of age and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults. Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.
Both eating patterns and physical activity routines play a critical role in weight management. You gain weight when you consume more calories through eating and drinking than the amount of calories you burn, including those burned during physical activity. To maintain your weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, which could include dancing or yard work. You could achieve the goal of 150 minutes a week with 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. People vary greatly in how much physical activity they need for weight management. You may need to be more active than others to reach or maintain a healthy weight. To lose weight and keep it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your eating patterns and reduce the amount of calories you’re eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and healthy eating. See more information about:  Learn more about Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults and Children Haven’t Been Active in a While? See these tips on getting started.
The good news is that moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, is generally safe for most people. Heart disease and stroke are two leading causes of death in the United States. Getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity can put you at a lower risk for these diseases. You can reduce your risk even further with more physical activity. Regular physical activity can also lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels. Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic SyndromeRegular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is some combination of too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, low high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar. People start to see benefits at levels from physical activity even without meeting the recommendations for 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity. Additional amounts of physical activity seem to lower risk even more.
Being physically active lowers your risk for developing several common cancers. Adults who participate in greater amounts of physical activity have reduced risks of developing cancers of the:
If you are a cancer survivor, getting regular physical activity not only helps give you a better quality of life, but also improves your physical fitness.
As you age, it’s important to protect your bones, joints, and muscles – they support your body and help you move. Keeping bones, joints, and muscles healthy can help ensure that you’re able to do your daily activities and be physically active. Muscle-strengthening activities like lifting weights can help you increase or maintain your muscle mass and strength. This is important for older adults who experience reduced muscle mass and muscle strength with aging. Slowly increasing the amount of weight and number of repetitions you do as part of muscle strengthening activities will give you even more benefits, no matter your age. Improve Your Ability to do Daily Activities and Prevent FallsEveryday activities include climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or playing with your grandchildren. Being unable to do everyday activities is called a functional limitation. Physically active middle-aged or older adults have a lower risk of functional limitations than people who are inactive. For older adults, doing a variety of physical activity improves physical function and decreases the risk of falls or injury from a fall. Include physical activities such as aerobic, muscle strengthening, and balance training. Multicomponent physical activity can be done at home or in a community setting as part of a structured program. Hip fracture is a serious health condition that can result from a fall. Breaking a hip have life-changing negative effects, especially if you’re an older adult. Physically active people have a lower risk of hip fracture than inactive people. Increase Your Chances of Living LongerAn estimated 110,000 deaths per year could be prevented if US adults ages 40 and older increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by a small amount. Even 10 minutes more a day would make a difference. Taking more steps a day also helps lower the risk of premature death from all causes. For adults younger than 60, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day. For adults 60 and older, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day. Manage Chronic Health Conditions & DisabilitiesRegular physical activity can help people manage existing chronic conditions and disabilities. For example, regular physical activity can: |
Why is it importance to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activities for at least 60 minutes a day in and out of school?
Pos Terkait
Copyright © 2024 ketiadaan Inc.
