Get (The Whole Family) Moving!

Kids are generally very active from birth as their bodies and minds are rapidly growing and developing. They struggle to learn to crawl then walk then run in the first year of their lives. They love to explore, play and build things in their toddler years, while their brain and nervous system further develops. The development and learning abilities of a young child are endless and vigorous physical activity fuels this development.

Young children in our western society have so much electronic influence that at a very young age, media such as video games, television, handheld electronics and other things take the place of physical activity. Studies have shown that kids of 3-4 years of age get 84% of their recommended physical activity. This number drops dramatically to only 7% for the age group between 5 and 11 years old then drops even lower to only 4% for 12 to 17 year olds. This results in child obesity and health problems for children due to a lack of activity and exercise. It is recommended that children get 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, while teens should be getting an hour per day.

It is no surprise that this trend is following kids right into adulthood. Adults are recommended to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week and currently only 15% of the population reach this minimum standard. This can lead to significant health issues, such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, loss of bone density, and colon cancer. We want the best for our kids and the best way to help with their success in the future is to start now.

Make a commitment as parents to reduce the screen time of your kids. Find physical activities that your kids enjoy doing or chores that need to get done. This could include a wide range of activities ranging from walking, soccer, bike rides, skateboarding, bowling, swimming, skiing, skating, hockey, dancing, hiking, mountain climbing, baseball, playing at the park, weight training, vacuuming, washing the floor, washing the car and the list goes on. 

Keep your kids active and in shape. Maintaining the proper alignment of their spine is important as well to ensure maximum enjoyment of their physical activities. Call us today to keep your kids on the path to great health.