From the ArcaMax Publishing, Health & Fitness Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/healthtips/s-371091-189887
LONDON (UPI) -- British and U.S. guidelines on how much physical
activity children need to boost their health and stave off obesity
need to be revised, researchers said.
The study, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, found 42
percent of boys and 11 percent of girls met the 60-minute guideline.
The researchers base their findings on the long-term monitoring of 113
boys and 99 girls from 54 different schools, all of whom were age 5
when the study started.
The children's weekly physical activity levels were measured using a
tiny device worn around the waist. Changes in weight and predictive
health indicators, such as insulin resistance, blood fat levels,
cholesterol levels and blood pressure were measured annually between
the ages of 5 and 8. Taken together, these health indicators reflect
the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Both the British and U.S. guidelines recommend children be moderately
physically active for at least one hour every day, however, the study
found some spending as little as 10 minutes a day at the recommended
intensity while others were spending more than 90 minutes a day.