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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion |
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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
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
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
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
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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
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
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Page last
reviewed: October 28, 2008
Division of Adolescent
and School Health
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