Does physical activity help prevent overweight and obesity?
Yes, physical activity, along with a healthy diet, plays an important role in the prevention of overweight and obesity .To maintain a stable weight, a person needs to expend the same amount of calories as he or she consumes. (USDHHS, 2001) Experts agree that inactivity and poor eating habits contribute to obesity. National guidelines recommend 150 minutes of physical activity each week for elementary children and 225 minutes for older children. Did you know that if you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you’ll gain about 1 pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, it’s important to reduce calories and increase physical activity.
