Did you know that physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health? It may seem hard to fit exercise into a busy family schedule. Even adding some activity into your routine is better than making no changes at all.
The CDC recommendations for physical activity vary by age. Children need the most activity to stay healthy. Children aged 3 to 5 need to be active throughout every day, while children aged 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of activity daily. Adults over 18 need 150 minutes per week of moderate activity as well as muscle strengthening activities two days a week. Adults over age 64 also benefit from adding activities that help improve balance to this routine.
Here are some ideas of physical activity the whole family can enjoy:
- Make physical activity part of your family's daily routine by taking family walks or playing active games together.
- Give your children equipment that encourages physical activity.
- Take young people to places they can be physically active, such as public parks, community baseball fields or basketball courts.
- Be positive about the physical activities in which your child participates. Encourage them to be interested in new activities.
- Instead of watching television after dinner, help your child find fun physical activities. Examples include walking, playing chase or riding bikes.
Still need help adding activity to your family routine? Check out this CDC article on Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity.
One way that MDwise helps Indiana families and children overcome these barriers is by supporting Jump IN for Healthy Kids. Jump IN is a community-wide effort to help reduce and prevent childhood obesity in central Indiana. Jump IN works with many systems to help educate people and increase access to healthy food in Indianapolis.
A great resource supported by Jump IN is the 5-2-1-0 program. This slogan gives families a simple way to monitor their healthy habits.
