Why Children Need Physical Activity

Here are a few reasons why children need to participate in daily physical activity.

• According to the American Heart Association, inactive children tend to weigh more, have higher blood pressure, and lower levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) when compared to active children. 

• According to the American Heart Association, children ages 12-19 have total cholesterol levels exceeding 200mg/dL.    

• According to the 2003 Youth Risk Factor Surveillance Study, 33.4 percent of youth do not participate in physical activity that promotes long-term health. 

• The Chrysler Fund Amateur Athletic Union performed a fitness testing program, which showed children are getting slower in endurance running. 

• The National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES, 1999-2002) found a 250% increase from 1970 to 2002 while examining overweight adolescent Americans. 

• According to the American Heart Association, the following children ages 6-11 are overweight, using the 95^th percentile or higher of body mass index (BMI) values on the CDC 2000 growth chart: 
• For white children, 12% of girls and 11.9% of boys.
• For African American children, 22.1% of girls and 17.6% of boys.
• For Hispanic children, 19.6% of girls and 27.3% of boys. 

• According to the American Heart Association, the following adolescents ages 12-19 are overweight, using the 95^th percentile or higher of body mass index (BMI) values on the CDC 2000 growth chart: 
• For white children, 12.2% of girls and 13.0% of boys.
• For African American children, 25.7% of girls and 20.5% of boys.
• For Hispanic children, 19.4% of girls and 27.5% of boys.