Contents:
- Medical Video: Strength and agility exercises for kids
- The frequency of physical activity needed by children and adolescents
- Risk of lack of physical activity
- 1. Obesity
- 2. Type 2 diabetes
- 3. Obstructed bone growth
- 4. Depression and anxiety disorders
- Tips for increasing physical activity of children and adolescents
- 1. Become a role model for children
- 2. Plan a weekend full of activity
- 3. Choosing physical activity that children love
- 4. Providing tools or facilities to support physical activity
Medical Video: Strength and agility exercises for kids
Unlike your childhood, a generation of children and adolescents today are closer to technology. This is certainly good because technology opens access to knowledge and creativity. However, there are side effects from technological developments that lurk your sons and daughters. Children and teenagers prefer to spend time in front of the screen gadget rather than having to move to do something.
READ ALSO: 5 Bad Effects of Electronic Media That May Occur in Children
If as a child you always play chase or hide and seek with friends in the afternoon, nowadays children and teenagers are actually busy chasing the number of followers (follower) on social media or play video game at home. This shows that the intensity of physical activity of children and adolescents has been greatly reduced. In fact, children and adolescents must meet certain physical activity needs every day.
The frequency of physical activity needed by children and adolescents
Physical activity is an activity that requires energy to move the body and muscles of the skeleton. Physical activity is not the same as exercising. Sport is a planned, structured, and repetitive activity with specific goals, namely to train certain fitness aspects. Meanwhile, physical activity can take the form of any activities such as walking, playing, or helping parents clean the house. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years need physical activity as follows.
- At least 60 minutes of physical activity with moderate to moderate intensity every day
- Physical activity for more than 60 minutes can provide additional health benefits
- Doing physical activity involving bone and muscle strengthening exercises at least 3 times a week
Risk of lack of physical activity
Moving and doing physical activity certainly benefits the physical development and psychology of children. In addition to a fit body and a fresh mind, children can also train various useful abilities in their lives such as socializing, discipline, and self-confidence. However, if your child's physical activity is not enough, you should be aware of some of the risks that might arise as follows.
1. Obesity
Both children and adults can be obese. Obesity occurs when you consume too many calories but not enough to burn those calories into energy. In addition, too much fat in the body can also lead to obesity or being overweight. With physical activity, your child can reduce the risk of obesity both as a child and when he grows up. The reason, research shows that people who are childhood obesity tend to experience the same conditions when they grow up.
2. Type 2 diabetes
Lack of movement and physical activity can increase a child's risk of type 2 diabetes, especially if there is a family history of the disease. With physical activity, muscle cells will become more sensitive to insulin which is responsible for helping to control sugar levels in the body. In addition, physical activity is also able to balance glucose levels in the blood.
READ ALSO: Blood Sugar Injections and Checks for Children with Diabetes
3. Obstructed bone growth
Physical activity can encourage growth and bone formation, especially in youth. At the age of 9 to 12 years, your child is in the golden age of bone growth. If at this time the child's physical activity is very limited, the child will lose the opportunity to increase bone mass and density. As a result, the child's bone growth is not optimal. Be careful, disruption of bone growth in young people at risk of causing osteoporosis later in life.
4. Depression and anxiety disorders
Physical activity of children and adolescents can prevent depression or anxiety disorders. When moving and on the move, the body will release various hormones and signals that can cause pleasure while reducing the brain's perception of pain. Routine physical activity will get the mind to stay positive and calm. So, if your son and daughter are not moving enough, they will become more susceptible to depression and anxiety disorders.
Tips for increasing physical activity of children and adolescents
Although important, physical activity is often overlooked by children and adolescents. Many also mistakenly assume that Physical Education or sports subjects at school alone are sufficient to meet children's physical activity needs. To encourage physical activity of children and adolescents, parents can pursue the following smart ways.
1. Become a role model for children
Children will not get used to physical activity if you do not give an example yourself. So, make it a habit to move more than to act passively. For example, washing your own vehicle instead of asking for help from a housekeeper or taking a vehicle to a car and motorcycle wash, cleaning the house, exercising regularly, or walking to a store near the house. Children will also learn that staying active is very important.
READ ALSO: 6 Tips for Self Motivation to Be More Diligent in Exercising
2. Plan a weekend full of activity
If you and your partner are busy throughout the workday, plan an active weekend with your family. Instead of always spending the weekend to watch a movie or relax at home, invite children to move for example by swimming, cycling, or going to the zoo. If the child feels the thrill of moving on his own, he will also be increasingly encouraged to take physical activities every day. In addition, the child will feel physical activity as something positive because it is done together with his family.
3. Choosing physical activity that children love
So that the child is not lazy or reasoned when invited to move, choose what your child likes. There are children who do not like competitive sports such as badminton or basketball. Because the child feels depressed must win. Look for other alternatives so that children stay active but not too competitive, for example dancing or cooking.
4. Providing tools or facilities to support physical activity
Encourage children to engage in physical activity by providing toys and tools that require them to move such as bicycles, balls or ropes skipping. At the same time, try to determine the time limit for use gadget or other electronic devices such as televisions and computers that trigger children to be passive. Your child will also be trained to balance active and passive activities every day.
