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Dr. Christian Robinson Sherrod

SAN ANGELO, Texas Exercise is important for each member of the family. The benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you and your children are endless. With springtime and warmer weather approaching, exercise opportunities are readily available.

Exercise can improve children's sleep and self-esteem, help them feel less stressed and keep a healthy weight, and build and keep healthy bones, muscles and joints, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture recommend one hour of exercise per day for children. Exercise also reduces the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes. It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, helps reduce obesity and decreases symptoms of arthritis, anxiety and depression.

All these benefits make exercise a win-win, but there is a battle between physical activity and media consumption. According to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, children spend about 5 hours per day on all screen media. This includes television, computer, videos and DVD and video games. One of the best ways to improve exercise is to limit media time to less than two hours a day for children older than 2 and none for children younger than 2.

Recommendations for age and activity include:

Toddler: 90 minutes per day of activity with 30 minutes planned, 1 hours free play.

Preschool: two hours per day of activity with one hour planned, one hour free play

School age: one hour a day of activity, broken up into 15 minute intervals.

You can help motivate your child to be active by offering the right activities for your child's age, offering plenty of opportunities and equipment to be active, and keeping the focus on fun. Preschool children should focus on simple tasks like hopping on one foot, playing tag, kicking or throwing a ball, freeze dancing or running an obstacle course. School age children should start engaging in organized sports like baseball, basketball and football. For those who do not enjoy team sports, activities such as cycling, martial arts, swimming, dance, hiking, playing outside and yoga can offer the same benefits.

Teenagers who do not play school sports may find it difficult to fit physical activity into their schedule. Parents can help by setting an example, scheduling time for activity and offering the right equipment and clothing for activities such as biking, walking, running and hiking.

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HOUSE CALL: Exercise is important for children

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Home » Exercise Programs » HOUSE CALL: Exercise is important for children