Children and exercise

Children should have many chances to run, bike, and play sports during the day. Experts recommend that children get 60 minutes of moderate exercise every day.

Moderate activity means you breathe harder and your heart beats faster than normal. Some examples are:

• Walking fast
• Playing chase or tag
• Swimming
• Playing organized sports (such as soccer, basketball, and football)

Younger children have a shorter attention span than older children. They may be active for only 10 - 15 minutes at a time. The goal is still a total of 60 minutes of activity every day.

WHY EXERCISE?

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Preventative medicine

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Review Date: 03/20/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)