Modern children are not getting enough daily physical activity. So says a 2024 report from the Physical Activity Alliance, a coalition that works to promote regular participation in physical activity.
Researchers behind the report utilized data from the National Survey of Children's Health and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, which showed that just 20 percent of children between the ages of six and 17 meet the daily physical activity minimum of 60 minutes recommended by the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
That four in five children are not getting enough physical activity each day is a red flag for parents. A 2023 study published in the journal Children noted that children who engage in sedentary behaviors are at increased risk for an assortment of negative health outcomes that include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and poor mental health. Parents can help kids reduce their risk by encouraging daily physical activity, which can be incorporated into youngsters' lives in various ways.
