According to experts, physical activity should be a vital sign of children's overall health

Washington DC. – According to a recent study, more than half of children do not make the amount of physical activity recommended each week. And most of those who respond to the recommendations are exercising longer and shorter, risking burnout or the risk of repetitive injury.

The study will be presented Nov. 3 at the 2018 National Conference and Exposition of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Orlando.

The study examined self-reported physical activity of 7,822 children over a three-year period. The children were seen in external pediatric sports medicine clinics.

The data indicates that only 5.2% of children reported meeting the daily goals of physical activity. In addition, 49.6% were insufficiently active and 5% had no physical activity. The categories were based on the number of minutes per week that children participated in physical activity, based on the recommended 60 minutes per day or 420 minutes of activity per week.

"Exercise should be used as a vital sign of health." Physical activity has many benefits. <br /> <br /> Asking these questions can allow clinicians to have an important conversation with families about how to guaranteeing these benefits to children, "said abstract presenter Julie Young. , MA, ATC, Research Assistant, Division of Pediatric Sports Medicine, National Children's Hospital.

In the study, men had an average of 61 minutes more physical activity per week than women. Men were also 39% more likely than women to adhere to current physical activity guidelines of 420 minutes per week.

The researchers also noted that physical activity increased with age, with younger children reporting less exercise. Physical activity in early childhood is essential for the development of motor skills and physical literacy, which can affect life-long physical activity behaviors.

"Physical activity opportunities are decreasing – the game is less free and physical education decreased in schools, but by asking simple questions about daily activity, clinicians can advise and offer a prescription exercise for a healthy physical activity, "said Amy Valasek, MD, MS for Sports Medicine at the National Children's Hospital.

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