Page 6 - Healthy Kids Now - Spring/Summer 2022

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Intense exercise helps children’s hearts
Any type of exercise is good for kids. However, a study found that children and teens benefit when they add more robust physical activities to their day.This type of exercise could help lower their risk for heart disease and diabetes.
The study noted that children who added about 10 minutes of intense activity to light exercises each day had lower blood sugar levels and smaller waist sizes.This could mean that short bursts of stronger exercises may be good for all children. But it is especially good for those with high blood sugar levels or larger waist sizes.
What counts as intense exercise?
Children need about 60 minutes of exercise each day. Most of the physical activity should be aerobic activities that make their hearts beat faster and make them breathe harder. They should also add more aerobic activities at least three days each week.Types of aerobic activities might include:
• walking very quickly
• running
• jumping rope
• dancing intensely
• swimming
• bicycle riding; uphill is even better
• martial arts
• sports, such as soccer, basketball, or tennis
• games, such as tag
TIP: Test your child’s level of activity. Ask them to talk to you.They are getting intense exercise if they can’t say more than a few words without stopping for breath.
How you can help
Parents and caregivers play a key role in helping children stay active.They are more likely to be active if they have support.Try these ideas to get your child to add more exercise for just a few minutes every day:
• Join your child while they exercise.
• Make up a competition using exercises.
• Set aside time only for exercise.
• Set limits on activities that don’t include movement, such
as screen time.
If your child doesn’t have a 60-minute block of time for exercise each day, don’t worry. They don’t have to do it all at once.Try to sneak physical activity into your child’s days where you can. Every little bit counts.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise