Importance of Physical Exercise/Limiting Screen Time

For American parents who want their kids to be fit, focused and feeling good, the first step is get them outside, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), which has just issued a health report, Whole Child: Developing Mind, Body and Spirit through Outdoor Play as part of the group's Be Out There ™ campaign.

Children who don't exercise enough may show early signs of cardiovascular disease, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's 57th Annual Meeting in Baltimore.

Middle-school students with higher levels of physical fitness fared better on standardized tests than students who were less fit., according to new research. The study suggests that cutting physical education classes to focus on academics might be counterproductive.

While one out of four children and teens 9 to 15 years old watch more than the recommended limit of two hours of television per day, those who play sports and those whose parents set consistent rules about television viewing are less likely to exceed  limits on screen time, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.

Reducing your child's screen time in front of televisions and computers is one of the easiest ways to improve your family's health.  Here are  eight simple ways to limit screen time to help crank up your kids' energy, re-charge their minds, and improve their health.

On May 10, 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama joined Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes and members of the Childhood Obesity Task Force to unveil the Task Force action plan.  The ambitious goal of the plan: reduce childhood obesity to 5%, which was the rate before childhood obesity first began to rise in the late 1970s.

The first national, comprehensive plan to support and encourage physical activity among all Americans has been announced. A wide range of public policy recommendations across eight broad sectors, the National Physical Activity Plan is the product of a ten-month, public/private collaboration of experts in diverse fields. It goes well beyond just telling people to exercise to recommend policies, programs and initiatives that will change  communities in ways that enable all Americans to be physically active, and is, in part, an answer to America's alarming rates of adult and childhood obesity and decreasing levels of physical activity.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), more than 200 health, conservation, youth, and other organizations, and 16,300 Americans are urging the new surgeon general, Dr. Regina Benjamin, to make time outdoors a childhood health priority and to promote the benefits to children who engage in regular unstructured outdoor play in their backyards, at local parks, or any green space that offers the opportunity to connect with nature.  NWF is urging parents to take the 2010 Be Out There pledge to spend more time outdoors this year.

Tips for parents on ways to make fitness fun for children. 

It is well-established that playing sports is good for boys.  Indeed, some experts contend that, given  the way they hard-wired, boys need sports and competition because they provide healthy ways to channel their intense physicality and aggression and feel strong.