1. McKensie Price & Erin Brown PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2.  Control weight  Reduce the risk of having:  Cardiovascular disease  Type 2 diabetes  Metabolic syndrome  Some cancers  Strengthen bones and muscles  Increase chances of living longer  Improve mental health and mood  Improve ability to do daily activities and prevent falls when you become an older adult BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

3.  Regular exercise helps children:  Feel less stressed  Feel better about themselves  Ready to learn in school  Maintain a healthy weight  Build strong bones, muscles, and joints  Sleep better PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OUR CHILDREN

4.  Today’s technology has played a huge role in reducing physical activity.  Children spend an average of an hour and 50 minutes in front of a computer and 2 hours and 40 minutes in front of the television.  Studies have found that children spend more time in front of a computer screen in one day than they spend exercising in a whole week.  Obesity in kids is now epidemic in the U.S. The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades. Currently one child in five is overweight”. (Word on Health, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”: Torgan, Carol, June 2002) TECHNOLOGY AND SCREEN TIME

5.  By participating in a moderate amount of physical activity can have significant health benefits.  The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day.  If your child can have the whole 60 minutes to have physical activity a day try and give them two 30-minute periods or four 15-minute periods where they can participate in a variety of age appropriate activities.  Children who participate in physical activity have been found to have a greater life expectancy.  If your child is uncoordinated or overweight be sure to encourage them to engage in physical activity. GET THE FACTS!

6.  Share your favorite activities with your children  Include your children in your favorite activities  Sign them up for a sports league  Look for a local fitness center that offers kick-boxing, martial arts, or dance classes.  Allow your child many opportunities for trial and error. Let them pick the activity they want to participate in, if they do not like it allow them to try again at a different activity. HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE MY CHILD TO PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

7.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html  American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Physical- Activity-and-Children_UCM_304053_Article.jsp#.Ts8AqFaAoTA http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Physical- Activity-and-Children_UCM_304053_Article.jsp#.Ts8AqFaAoTA  Department of Health and Human Services http://www.fitness.gov/resources_factsheet.htm http://www.fitness.gov/resources_factsheet.htm  Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforchildren.html http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforchildren.html  Great Schools http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/health- nutrition/500-physical-activity-at-home.gshttp://www.greatschools.org/parenting/health- nutrition/500-physical-activity-at-home.gs  Mail Online http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article- 1352361/Children-spend-time-computers-TV-exercising- week.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article- 1352361/Children-spend-time-computers-TV-exercising- week.html  Wilderness Adventure http://www.wilderness- adventure.com/shocking-statistics/http://www.wilderness- adventure.com/shocking-statistics/ RESOURCES