Child Obesity: Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activities
Physical activity is a major factor in losing weight if accompanied with a proper diet. The society has fallen short in helping our children to participate in regular exercise. Children have little or no knowledge about obesity, how it leads to secondary illnesses, and the importance of physical activities. It is therefore the responsibility of parents to educate their children.
Any involvement in physical activity is a good thing, and should be a necessary way of life. With video games, texting, surfing the internet and television, children are spending very little time at the park where they can play. Technology has replaced outdoor activities, so it is no wonder that the rate of obesity as skyrocketed in children. If the weather permits, children, should be biking, running, jumping, any form of physical activity to burn calories, and build their muscles. Most cities have several parks which are free, and counter any excuse that parents can put forward for children’s inactivity.
Swimming
Many cities if not all within the United States have public swimming pools, where children can learn to swim. Many major counties also have swim clubs both for children and masters swim program for adults. Swimming is an excellent sport or exercise routine, especially when children are a part of a swim team. It is a good workout routine exercising all parts of the body and mind. It instills discipline in children, such as getting to practice on time, and obeying the instruction of their coach to improve their techniques and time for each event. Swimming gives children the opportunity to train both in the pool and in the gym, compete with other clubs in the county and state and develop their overall competiveness, in the pool, in school, and in life. Dedication, and discipline, is the foundation on which the “Michael Phelps” (2008 Olympian) of the world is made.
Physical Education
Schools have also abdicated their responsibilities for the health and fitness of the students they oversee several hours each day. Physical education is no longer mandatory and this should change. All school districts should require their schools to include physical activities as mandatory rather than an elective in their curriculum, unless they are exempted by a physician. Dr lleana Vargas, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York in a 2003 interview with Katie Couric on the “Today Show” cites that up to fifth grade only about half of the schools required students to participate in physical education , which dramatically decreases to only two percent approximately by 12th grade.
Children must be encouraged to participate in any form of physical activities. There is soccer, basketball, softball, track, dancing, gymnastics and aerobics, and host of other activities that children can participate in. It does not necessarily have to be structured, but can be arranged by parents with frequent visits to park or even family walks in the neighborhood, along with physical education in school.
The benefits outweigh the pain and it’s all about educating your child on all the benefits that physical activities offer, a healthier life, improved physical appearance, and discipline, possibility of earning a scholarship for college, and even a career.
Warning
Take your child in to the doctor for a physical examination prior to the start of any physical activity routine and at least on an annual basis thereafter.
Patricia Bardowell has been a professional writer over five years. She writes for Triond.com, Western Examiner, Demand Studios, Newsvine, and commentator with Huffington Post.
She has a wide ranging experience in the financial sector, namely banking, life insurance and real estate. Patricia is also a medical assistant, and worked in the health field for several years.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice (2008) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) (2009), both from Keiser University.
