Bottom Line:

Life is motion. Moving every day is crucially important to your overall health and wellness. Everything from cardiovascular disease to depression has been tied to a lack of physical activity. And this isn’t something that only adults need to be aware of. Getting enough physical activity as a child is an important step in reducing the risk of chronic disease in adulthood.

Why it Matters:

If your child is tied to the latest video game or app, you know it can be challenging to encourage exercise and physical activity. However, carving out enough time to move is not only essential for your physical health, but also your brain. Being sedentary during childhood slows down your brain’s ability to learn “movement skills.” You can think of these skills in terms of agility and hand/eye coordination.

• Over 65% of kids aren’t getting enough daily physical activity.
• Lack of activity has been linked to everything from cardiovascular disease to depression.
• An astonishing 99% of kids don’t have age-appropriate movement skill proficiency.

Next Steps:

Establishing consistent habits of physical activity and movement as a child is an essential first step towards enabling a lifetime of good health. Movement starts with your nervous system and spine. Our practice is focused on helping you and your family stay active and live a happier, healthier life.

Science Source: Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health: evidence and background to the development of the Y-PATH physical activity intervention for adolescents. BMC Public Health 2014