The new exercise recommendation for children may increase from 60 minutes to 90 minutes each day.  A new study published in the July issue of the Lancet suggests that one hour is just not enough to ward off heart disease.  

   The study  measured the physical activity of 1,700 children, aged 9 to 15 years old, from Denmark, Estonis, and Portugal.  Instead of relying on self-reported activity, this research team strapped accelerometers to the children's hips for accuracy purposes.  These devices measured everyday activities such as moderate intensity play and walking to school.

   The team measured risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as, blood pressure, weight, skinfold thickness, insulin resistance, and cholesterol levels.  

   The researchers found that an increase in physical acitivity resulted in a decrease in their risks for cardiovascular disease.  The lowest risks were found amoung the 9 years olds who did 116 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity and the 15 year olds who did around 88 minutes daily.

   Their exercise intensity was equivelant to walking at a speed of about 2.5 mph for 90 minutes.  Professor Lars Bo Anderson MD, who lead the team, stresses that the 90 minutes would not have to be done in one chunk; it would be spaced out throughout the day.

   "Physical activity is important for metabolic health in children," the authors conclude.  "To prevent clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors, physical activity levels should be higher than the current international guidelines of at least 1 hour per day of physical activity of at least moderate intensity.  Achieving 90 min. of daily activity might be necessary for children to prevent insulin resistance, which seems to be the central feature for clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors." 
 
    Professor Chris Riddoch, head of the London Sports Institute at Middlesex University and one of the researchers said: "We have engineered a society that does not exercise - kids as well as adults."

                     

   Kids need encouragement to be active at every opportunity.  Unfortunately, technology today is doing for us what our muscles used to do.  Technology is driving us places, playing our football games for us, even "hide-n-seek" and "dress-up" are both available for purchase in the seated computerized versions.  

   Times have changed, but change we must.  Things will only get worse if we do not take action now.             

   Experts agree that physical activity for children needs to be reinforced at school and throughout daily life.  Dr. David L. Katz, an associate professor of public health and director of the Prevention Research Centre at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven says: "The message here is clear: move your body or lose your health."

                     

   I must encourage us parents to get moving, too.  We are our childrens' role models, if we sit around all day, so will they.  When we play with kids, we bond with kids, we grow healthy together, and we all benefit.  Sure, this is great physically, but think of the emotional bond you are developing, too.  This is life!