Physical Activity and Children^{1,2,5,6,8,9,10}

Children and Physical Activity

• You should aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
⁹
• You should do activities that are hard or somewhat hard to do (or those that make you sweat or breathe hard) for 10 to 15 minutes or more several times throughout the day. Make sure to keep safe while playing or doing physical activity.
• Moderate activities include brisk walking, skating, bike riding, swimming or treading water and playing tag
• Vigorous activities include running, soccer and fast dancing
• Don't sit for long periods of time or be inactive. Avoid watching TV or playing computer games for more than total of 2 hours each day. For each hour of screen time be physically active for 30 minutes.
• Ask your parents to be active with you by playing ball games or tag, playing adventure games in the yard, riding a bike or scooter, or dancing with you.

By being active every day you get a lot of health benefits and you feel better too!! ^2,3 Physical activity:

• Stengthens your bones
• Strengthens your muscles
• Maintains your flexibility
• Promotes good posture and balance
• Helps control weight
• Strengthens your heart
• Promotes your growth and development
• Helps you meet new friends
• Helps you feel good about yourself
• Increases your fun and/or enjoyment

If you need to increase your physical activity^2,3,4,7:

• Slowly do some more physical activity throughout the day in periods of at least 10 minutes with a goal of at least 60 minutes every day.
• Limit non-active time, such as time spent watching TV or videos and playing computer games and surfing the Internet to no more than 2 hours each day. Decrease the amount of time spent on these activities by 5 to 10 minutes per day.
• For best results combine different types of activity. This makes exercise more fun and helps with muscle, heart and lung development.
• Endurance activities such as running, jumping and swimming strengthen the heart and lungs. Click here for more on endurance activities.
• Flexibility activities such as gymnastics and dancing encourage bending, stretching and reaching. Click here for more on flexibility activities.
• Strength building activities such as climbing or swinging from a rope (make sure child is safe) build strong muscles and bones. Click here for more on strength building activities.

Suggested plan for increasing your physical activity over a period such as a month:

	Daily INCREASE in moderate physical activity (minutes)		Daily INCREASE in vigorous physical activity (minutes)		Total daily INCREASE in physical activity (minutes)	Daily DECREASE in non-active time (minutes)
Month 1	at least 20	+	10	=	30	at least 30
Month 2	at least 30	+	10	=	40	at least 40
Month 3	at least 40	+	10	=	50	at least 50
Month 4	at least 50	+	10	=	60	at least 60

• Moderate physical activity includes walking, tap dancing, water aerobics, treading water, raking leaves, shooting baskets with ball
• Vigorous physical activity includes jogging, lap swimming, aerobic dance, bicycling, skating, field hockey, basketball

For additional information:
Click here for information on physical activity in early childhood (2-4 years).
Click here for information on physical activity in middle childhood (5-11 years).
Click here for information on physical activity in adolescence (12-18 years).

Sources of Information

1. 20 Everyday Ways to Get Moving. Accessed December 12, 2002 at http://www.eatright.org.
2. American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Sixth Edition. 2000. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Baltimore, MD. 368 pp
3. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canada's Physical Activity for Children. Accessed November 30, 2002 at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/paguide/
4. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canada's Physical Activity for Youth. Accessed November 30, 2002 at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/paguide/
5. Corbin, C.B., Pangrazi, R.P. FITNESSGRAM Reference Guide: Physical activity for children: how much is enough? Accessed February 4, 2003 at http://www.cooperinst.org/ftgmain.asp
6. Corbin, C.B., Pangrazi, R.P. Physical activity for children: a statement of guidelines. Reston, VA: National Association for Sport and Physical Education. 1998
7. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Get Fit. A Handbook for Youth Ages 6-17. How to get in shape to meet the President's Challenge. Accessed January 5, 2003 at http://www.presidentschallenge.org
8. Sallis, J.F., Patrick, K. Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: consensus statement. Pediatric Exercise Science 1994:6:302-14
9. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 6th edition. 2005. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232. Washington, DC
10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity and Health Report of the Surgeon General. 2001. Atlanta, GA
Back