Exercise

Facts about children and exercise:

Exercise is an important part of keeping children healthy. Encouraging healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents is important for when they grow older. Lifestyles that are learned in childhood are more likely to stay with the child into adulthood. Changes in lifestyle are harder to make the older the person becomes. The best way to promote healthy lifestyles is for the whole family to become involved.

Establishing an exercise plan:

A daily exercise program can provide a way to share an activity with family and friends, while helping establish good heart-healthy habits. The following exercise guidelines for adolescents can help you and your child plan activities:

• Children and adolescents need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days for maintenance of good health and fitness and for healthy weight during growth.
  
  
• Parents are encouraged to limit children’s screen time (TV, video, and computers) to less than two hours daily and replace the sedentary activities with activities that require more movement.

Even low-to-moderate intensity activities for as little as 30 minutes a day can be beneficial. These activities may include the following:

• pleasure walking
• climbing stairs
• dancing
• home exercise

Regular, aerobic physical activity increases a child's capacity for exercise and plays a role in prevention of heart diseases. Aerobic activities are continuous activities that cause the heart rate to increase and cause the breathing rate to increase. Aerobic exercise may also help to lower blood pressure. To prevent dehydration, encourage children to drink fluid regularly during physical activity and drink several glasses of water or other fluid after the physical activity is completed. Examples of vigorous activities may include the following:

• brisk walking
• running
• swimming
• cycling
• roller skating
• jumping rope
• playing on the playground
• dancing
• gymnastics
• hiking
• soccer
• tag games

Exercise on a regular basis is part of a healthy lifestyle. However, some children can exercise too much. If your child begins losing weight and falls below his/her normal growth patterns, or if exercise interferes with other normal activities and school, consult your child's physician.
 
For children and adolescents, daily exercise may help prevent conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, and poor lifestyle habits that may lead to heart conditions later in life.

Benefits from regular exercise or physical activity:

The following are just some of the benefits that regular exercise or physical activity provides:

• improves blood circulation throughout the body
• keeps weight under control
• improves blood cholesterol levels
• prevents and manages high blood pressure
• prevents bone loss
• boosts energy level
• releases tension
• improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
• improves self-image
• helps manage stress
• counters anxiety and depression
• increases enthusiasm and optimism
• increases muscle strength

The information on this Web page is provided for educational purposes. You understand and agree that this information is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. You agree that Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital is not making a diagnosis of your condition or a recommendation about the course of treatment for your particular circumstances through the use of this Web page. You agree to be solely responsible for your use of this Web page and the information contained on this page. Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and information providers shall not be liable for any damages you may suffer or cause through your use of this page even if advised of the possibility of such damages.