It’s important to remind kids that how take care of their body now will de termine how their body takes care of them later.
By Louis J. Tesoro, M.D. Princeton HealthCare System
With children and young people spending more and more time on the computer, watching television and playing video games, it’s no wonder that physical inactivity has reached epidemic proportions.
And while physical inactivity is one of the main factors, along with nutrition, associated with childhood obesity, losing weight should not be the sole motivator for getting fit. Remember that physical fitness is an overall state of being healthy and keeping your body in good working order. There are plenty of children who are healthy weights, but aren’t physically fit.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children are more sedentary than ever. Research shows more than 60 percent of 9- to 13-year-olds do not participate in any organized physical activity and nearly 25 percent did not participate in non-organized physical activity during non-school hours. One quarter of American children spend four hours or more watching television, according to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.
Simply speaking, our children are no longer “going out to play” like we did when we were kids.
Fitness doesn’t mean being a jock — it means being healthy.
In addition to helping children lose weight and fight diabetes, regular physical activity helps children stay healthy long into their adult years. It also improves self-esteem, fights depression and anxiety, and has been proven to boost academic performance.
It’s important to remind our children that they are going to be in their bodies for upward of 80 years. How they take care of their body now will determine how their body takes care of them later.
Children and young people should do some type of exercise every day. Ideally, they should engage in 20 or 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily.
If you’re looking for an upcoming kid-friendly physical activity in which they can get involved, look no further than the first-ever Princeton HealthCare Kids Marathon, organized by The Auxiliary of University Medical Center at Princeton. The event is designed to encourage physical fitness in the area’s young people, promote doing green deeds for the environment and raise funds for the new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro’s play area.
Kids of all fitness levels and abilities, from kindergarten through eighth-grade, can sign up to walk, run or roll in a wheelchair a full marathon (26.2 miles) at their own, comfortable pace between now and June 7. That’s when participants will gather at Princeton University Stadium to run the last mile together and celebrate their accomplishment.
Registration for the Kids Marathon is ongoing. Once registered, children can log their progress and receive incentives for reaching milestones. Children can register as individuals or as part of a team sponsored by their school or other organization. The sooner they register, the more time they have to complete their goals.
Encouraging your children to get involved is just one example of how parents can play a key role in promoting healthy habits and encouraging their children to be more physically active. Here are 10 suggestions from the American Academy of Pediatrics to get started:
1. Talk to your pediatrician. Your pediatrician can help your child understand the importance of physical fitness and suggest a suitable sport or activity.
2. Find a fun activity. Help your child find a physical activity that he or she enjoys. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a sport, but could be a dance class or martial arts program — or just a bike ride around the neighborhood.
3. Choose an activity that is developmentally appropriate. For example, a 7- or 8-year-old is not ready for weight lifting or a three- mile run, but soccer, bike riding and swimming are all appropriate activities.
4. Plan ahead and make time. Make sure your child has a convenient time and place to exercise. Some children are so overscheduled with homework, music lessons and other planned activities they don’t have time to exercise.
5. Provide a safe environment. Make sure your child’s equipment and chosen site for the activity are safe. Make sure their clothing is comfortable and appropriate.
6. Provide active toys. Young children especially need easy access to balls, jump ropes, and other active toys. Remember hula hoops?
7. Be a model for your child. Children who regularly see their parents enjoying sports and physical activity are more likely to do so themselves.
8. Play with your child. Help him or her learn a new sport. Get the entire family involved. It’s a great way to spend time together.
9. Limit screen time. Turn off the TV and computer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one to two hours of total screen time, including TV, videos, computers, and video games each day. Balance every hour of screen time with an hour of activity.
10. Do not overdo it. When your children are ready to start, remember to tell them to listen to their body. Exercise and physical activity should not hurt. As with any activity, it is important not to overdo it. If your child’s weight drops below an average, acceptable level, or if exercise starts to interfere with school or other activities, talk with your pediatrician.
In addition, being fit also means adopting other healthy habits such as eating three healthy meals a day, including fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products; avoiding junk food and fast food; getting enough sleep every night, and avoiding cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.
For help organizing a Kids Marathon team at your school, or for sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, call Princeton HealthCare Kids Marathon at 609-497-4069 or visit www.princetonkidsmarathon.org. To register your child individually, visit www.active.com.
Louis Tesoro, M.D., is the Chairman of the Pediatrics Department at University Medical Center at Princeton.

