Ninety minutes a day of kids exercise is all it takes to keep a child healthy, according to a 2006 study done by the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. If a child can be physically active for 90 minutes a day, their risk of heart disease and obesity drastically drops.
The study observed more than 1,700 children ages 9 and 15 and tested their blood pressure, weight and cholesterol levels. Through these tests, they were able to calculate a cardiovascular disease risk factor score.
The nine-year-olds with the lowest risk factor scores partook in 116 minutes of moderate to intense exercise daily. In the 15-year-old group, those who participated in 88 minutes of exercise a day were the least at risk. Researchers average this to 90 minutes a day.
This length of exercise doesn’t have to be done all at once. The 90 minutes can be spread out over the course of a day. And not all of it must be an intense workout. Twenty-thirty minutes of continuous exercise at one time is the critical part of kids exercise. As for the rest, it’s easy for children to engage in other physical activities.
Kids can ride bikes, run around outside, play on a playground, participate in sports, jump rope, etc. Just a couple activities each day can add up to 90 minutes.
Of course, exercise is not the only guarantee for a healthy child. Nutrition is also important, and children should be getting the necessary daily amount of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains.
Professor Chris Riddoch, head of the London Sports Institute at Middlesex University, says, “We have engineered a society that does not exercise; kids as well as adults.”
Parents must be intentional in guiding their children and themselves towards a healthy lifestyle. They must be aware of health issues and how to combat tendencies to develop unhealthy habits. Ensuring their kids get the recommended daily amount of kids exercise is an important step to raising healthy children.
