Physical Activity

Excercise: The 6 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity from the Mayo Clinic

Fitness Basics from the Mayo Clinic 

Active Education: Growing Evidence on Physical Activity and Academic Performance Research Brief

The Brain-Changing Benefits of Excercise TED Talk by Wendy Suzuki, Professor of Neuroscience 

How Physical Excercise Makes Your Brain Work Better by Ben Martynoga

Regular physical activity inchildhood and adolescence isimportant for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing various health conditions.  The US Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years should have 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.  (Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention)

The US Department of Health and Human Services also supports the recommendation for 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily.  This includes: Aerobic (3 days a week), Muscle-Strengthening (3 days a week), and Bone-strengthening (3 days a week)

Physical inactivity can:

• Lead to energy imbalance (e.g., expend less energy through physical activity than consumed through diet) and can increase the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
• Increase the risk of factors that cause cardiovascular disease, including hyperlipidemia (e.g., high cholesterol and triglyceride levels), high blood pressure, obesity, and insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
• Increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• Increase the risk for developing breast, colon, endometrial, and lung cancers.
• Lead to low bone density, which in turn, leads to osteoporosis.