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Lauren PesolaFrom the desk of PHA staff member Lauren Pesola:PHA, along with the American College of Sports Medicine, recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Is your child meeting this guideline? Regularly participating in physical activity provides many benefits to your child. Those that are physically active are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and develop strong bones, joints and muscles. Participation in routine physical activity also decreases your child’s risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. In addition, physical activity will help your child develop confidence and a positive self-image. While 60 continuous minutes of physical activity provides your child’s heart and body with the greatest benefits, any accumulated activity is better than nothing! If your child does not have 60 continuous minutes available for activity, try to accumulate four 15-minute sessions of activity or two 30-minute sessions of activity daily. Remember, it is usually safe to introduce physical activity into your child’s life, but start slowly, and contact your child’s pediatrician with additional concerns. Listed below are ideas to get you and your children more active! Activities to do with family:Take a walk with your familyTake your dog for a walkGo on a jog with your familyGo on a bike ride with your familyActivities to do with friends:Jum...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news