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Health Topics
Physical Activity
Physical Activity and the Health of Young People
Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
-
Helps build and maintain healthy bones and muscles.1
-
Helps reduce the risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases
such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.1
-
Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and promotes
psychological well-being.1
Long-Term Consequences of Physical Inactivity
-
Overweight and obesity, influenced by physical inactivity and poor
diet, are
significantly associated with an increased risk of diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status.2
-
Physical inactivity increases the risk of dying prematurely, dying
of heart disease, and developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood
pressure.1
Obesity Among Youth
-
The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6� more
than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006.
The rate among adolescents aged 12� more than tripled, increasing from 5.0%
to 17.6%.3
-
Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to be
overweight or obese as adults;4 one study showed that
children who became obese by age 8 were more severely obese as adults.5
Participation in Physical Activity by Young People
-
During the 7 days preceding the survey, 77% of children aged 9-13
reported participating in free-time physical activity.6
-
Thirty-five percent of high school students had participated in at
least 60 minutes per day of
physical activity on 5 or more of the 7 days preceding the survey.7
-
Twenty-five percent of high school students did not
participate in 60 or more minutes of any kind of physical activity that
increased their heart rate or made them breathe hard some of the time on
at least 1 day during the 7 days before the survey (i.e., did not
participate in 60 or more minutes of physical activity on any day).7
-
Participation in physical activity declines as children get older.7
Percentage of High School Students
Participating in Physical Activity and Physical Education, by Sex,
20077
Type of Activity |
Girls |
Boys |
At least 60 minutes/day of physical activitya |
25.6% |
43.7% |
Attended physical education class dailyb |
27.3% |
33.2% |
|
a Any kind of physical activity that
increased heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time for at
least 60 minutes per day on 5 or more of the 7 days preceding the survey
b Attended physical education classes 5 days in an average
week when they were in school
Participation in Physical Education Classes
-
Over half (54%) of high school students (62% of 9th grade
students but only 41% of 12th grade students) attended physical education
classes in 2007.7
-
The percentage of high school students who attended physical
education classes daily decreased from 42% in 1991 to 25% in 1995, and
has remained stable at that level until 2007 (30%). In 2007, 40% of 9th
grade students but only 24% of 12th grade students attended physical
education class daily.7
-
Among the 54% of students who attended physical education classes,
84% actually exercised or played sports for 20 minutes or longer during
an average class.7
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Physical activity guidelines advisory committee report.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008.
-
Mokdad AH, Ford ES, Bowman BA, et al. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related
health
risk factors, 2001. Journal of the American Medical Association
2003;289(1):76-79.
- Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Flegal KM. High Body Mass Index for
Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003-2006. JAMA. 2008;299(20):2401-2405.
- Ferraro KF, Thorpe RJ Jr, Wilkinson JA. The life course of severe
obesity: Does childhood overweight matter? Journal of Gerontology 2003;58B(2):S110-S119.
- Freedman DS, Khan LK, Dietz WH, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS.
Relationship of childhood obesity to coronary heart disease risk factors in
adulthood: the Bogalusa Study. Pediatrics 2001;108(3):712-718.
- CDC. Physical activity levels
among children aged 9� years桿nited States,
2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report August 22, 2003; 52 (SS-33):
785-788.
- CDC.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance桿nited States, 2007
[pdf 1M]. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report 2008;57(No.SS-4).
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