To make sure they receive enough balance in their exercise program, children should be encouraged to
take part in a variety of activities. Regular exercise—such as ballet class or sports—affects not only motor
and physical fitness but also such developmental areas as cognitive ability, social development, and self-
esteem. (Barry Lewis/Corbis)range of motion. Stretching should be done regularly
to prevent overtightness. Each stretching exercise,
such as touching one’s toes, should be held for at least
thirty seconds without bouncing. This should be done
three times for each exercise.
Body composition is a major area of concern in
physical fitness. Studies have shown that children are
getting fatter. The body mass index (BMI) is a weight-
to-height comparison (weight divided by height
squared). Children who are above the 85th percentile
on the BMI are considered overweight. Studies have
shown that overweight children tend to remain over-
weight as adults. Early intervention appears to be the
key to maintaining normal weight throughout life.
Children are able to lose excess weight by combining
an intense exercise program with dietary monitoring
and counseling. For these children, normal weight
can be maintained into adulthood only if these exer-
cise and eating habits become a permanent lifestyle
change.
Sources of Exercise
Children get exercise from their play activities.
Children who are highly active typically do not carry
excess weight. While this regular activity is rarely long
enough or intense enough to provide other immedi-
ate health benefits, active children tend to become ac-
tive adults, and active adults are generally healthier
than sedentary adults.
School physical education (PE) programs tend to
be the primary source of exercise for children. PE
programs provide opportunities for activity and to
teach children about the principles of exercise. The
limited time allotted for PE programs in most schools
provides little benefit to children’s health. Children
typically spend two to four hours a week in PE pro-
grams. This is not enough time to adequately cover
physical health education as well as give children time
to exercise in class to improve their own fitness levels.
Athletic programs tend to provide children with
the most exercise, but of a limited nature. Each sport
has different demands and exercises the body in spe-
cific ways. For example, football is good for develop-
ing motor skills and strength but does very little for
aerobic fitness. Swimming, on the other hand, is very
good for aerobic fitness but can hinder flexibility.
Children should be encouraged to take part in a vari-
ety of complementary sports in order to increase all
areas of fitness.
Community programs provided by local recre-
ation departments, YMCAs, or Boys and Girls Clubs
exist in many areas. These programs are often not as
strenuous as athletic programs but provide more time
for improving children’s fitness.
Exercise affects not only motor and physical fit-
ness but also such developmental areas as cognitive
ability, social development, and self-esteem. These
benefits should also be considered when involving
children in exercise activities.142 EXERCISE