Knock Obesity Out of America

Most children today just want to sit inside and play the newest video game that came out or spend time on the computer with all new computer games and social media sites. Plus the childhood obesity rate is climbing higher and higher each year. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012 (1). This is because children are not playing outside like they used to before all this high tech stuff came out. The children that are spending most of their time doing this are missing out on going outside and staying healthy and active with exercise from just playing outside. You are probably asking yourself why should you have to exercise. The reason is there are many benefits to being healthy, fit, and physically active which will be explained to you as well as the three elements of fitness and ways to motivate yourself to get outside and play.

Being outside you can always find something to do with friends or even by yourself. The benefits that come from being physically active outside are even better too. There are many reasons that playing outside is very good for the body but there are three very important ones. The three things that children who play outside benefit from the most are:

• Feeling better about themselves
• More physically fit
• Have more energy (2).

 
Children that do not get outside or exercise their bodies are putting themselves at risk for some serious health issues like staying at a healthy weight as well as muscle and bone growth (3). Think about it do you want to be as tall and strong as you possibly can. The recommended amount of exercise a child should get a day is at least 60 minutes (3). Now that you know some of the many benefits you get from playing outside let us look at the Three Elements of Fitness. 
 
The Three Elements of Fitness are:

• Strength
• Flexibility
• Endurance (4).

First we will take a look at strength!

Figure 1: Monkey bars [Web Image]. (2014, April 7). 

Strength is very important for your health and your body. Simple tasks can strengthen muscles such as climbing across the monkey bars (4). Other things children can do are: 

 

• Push-ups
• Sit-ups
• Pull-ups

By doing this children strengthen their muscles as well. These exercises burn fat and build muscle extremely well because the use most if the muscles in the body to complete each exercise. The number of reps the child does in these exercises should be charted or graphed so they can see their accomplishments (5). These tasks are easy and could be fun if their parents and friends even decide to get involved to motivate the children (5). Just by doing simple exercises like this can make you one of the stronger kids in your neighborhood and school. Now lets talk about flexibility.

Figure 2: Kids stretching [Web Image]. (2012, January 18).

       Flexibility is key to strengthening muscles. This is by far the easiest of the three elements to accomplish. Children can make sure they stretch as soon as they wake up in the morning and do simple but important stretches like touching their toes and pulling one arm over their chest then switch to the other arm. They can make stretching into a game with friends by trying to make their bodies into different letters of the alphabet and they could also do the mirror game and do the exact stretches their friend or partner is doing (6). This is a great way to make stretching fun and their minds off of what they are really doing.  The last element is endurance.

       Endurance is probably the most important one of the three elements. This is also a very simple one to accomplish. You can accomplish this task by playing games like tag or

Figure 3:Kids playing hens and chicks [Web Image]. (2011, April 29).

sports that require you to move a lot like soccer (2). This is a very helpful one to keep you in shape and at a good healthy weight. Another activity that could be done is simply running laps around the track or playground as well.

       Exercise is very important for children these days especially now that all these new high tech devices are being made so that they literally have to do the least amount of work and physical activity as possible. The information given above is a great way to get and keep children in shape. If this could be done by every kid daily the obesity rate in America would drop drastically and take a turn for the best. Now you know why it is important to be active and the benefits it has on your body. NOW GO OUTISDE AND GET ACTIVE!!!!!!

(1) Childhood Obesity Facts. (2014, August 13). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm

(2) Exercise and children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2014, November 7). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001977.htm

(3) How much physical activity do children need? (2011, November 9). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html

(4) Gavin, M. (2012, February 1). Kids and Exercise. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/exercise.html#

(5) Allen, B. (2012, October 5). 14 Ways to Get Kids Exercising -- and Off the Couch. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brant-secunda-and-mark-allen/childhood-obesity_b_1942929.htm

(6) Flexibility Activities for Kids. (2014, March 13). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/525645-flexibility-activities-for-kids/

Image 1: Monkey bars [Web Image]. (2014, April 7). Retrieved from http://jubileesportsphysio.com.au/physiotherapy-news/did-you-know-muscles-are-key-to-good-health

Image 2: Kids stretching [Web Image]. (2012, January 18). Retrieved from http://learningsupportatmuritaischool.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

Image 3: Kids playing hens and chicks [Web Image]. (2011, April 29). Retrieved from http://www.sheknows.com/sheknows-cares/articles/827891/7-creative-playground-games-for-kids