Getting Kids Active

Share Button

kidsexercisevectorFrom Your Health Journal…..”A great article and video from NBC 13 in Iowa about getting children active by Megan Reuther. The article starts by discussing how childhood obesity is on the rise in the United States (and Iowa) – one out of three school age kids are overweight or obese. Adults are going to the gym to workout, but now, it appears many children are benefiting from fun workouts at their local gyms as well. Today’s article review is a very nice ‘local’ story about one health club with dedicated employees helping children be stronger, healthier, and fit. So many children are already showing risk factors for heart disease, with high levels of cholesterol and blood pressure. In addition, many children have type 2 diabetes, a disease once considered an adult issue. Change is needed, and this one local gym is making a change. Kids respond to exercise when it is novel and fun, and this local gym knows how to accomplish this. Please visit the NBC 13 site (link provided below) to read the complete article. I have included the embedded video below for your viewing pleasure.”

From the article…..

It’s a common sight to see adults working up a sweat at the gym, but now the clientele is getting younger as the nation fights the childhood obesity epidemic.

Doctors say one out of three school age kids are overweight or obese. Those are national statistics, but Iowa pediatricians say it’s a big concern because the Hawkeye state is following that trend. And, they say all kids need to exercise daily, no matter how much they weigh.

Kids at the Altoona Campus are moving. Personal Trainer Pat Smith says, “Alright let’s get warmed up.”

He teaches a six week youth hip hop class for kids 6 to 12. Nine-year-old participant Katalina Medina says, “It’s really fun. I like doing it a lot.”

Seven-year-old Gwen Willeford says, “It’s like Just Dance, playing it for a while.”

For 45 minutes once a week, these kids trade in the video games and just dance for real. Smith says, “There’s no pressure to do anything correctly. It’s just move around. Go nuts.”

Smith teaches a couple classes for kids at the campus. He says it’s important for people to move their muscles at early age, and he has to get creative to get them moving. He says, “You’ve got to match their energy levels all the time in order to keep up with kids. You’ve got to kind of let go and be a kid yourself.”

Whether it’s dancing or doing sports, doctors say it’s just important kids do something fun and age appropriate. Dr. Amy Shriver with Blank Children’s Pediatric Clinic says, “The way you should approach physical activity is based on your child’s developmental level. You want to focus on what motor skills they’re actually able to do.”

To read the full article…..Click here