How Much Exercise do Teens Need?
All this media use greatly cuts into the time that kids spend exercising, which partially explains why over three times as many kids are obese now compared to 30 years ago. Adding to this problem is the unfortunate fact that many physical education programs across the country have been cut. In fact, several studies over the past few years have found that a large percentage of teenagers barely get any exercise at all. Between school, media consumption and homework, exercise simply doesn’t get a spot in the daily routine. But, in order to be healthy, it’s very important for kids to exercise most days, if not every day. According to U.S. government recommendations, everyone, including teenagers, needs at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. However, this is just a minimum, and 60 to 90 minutes a day is preferable, especially for individuals who are trying to lose weight. Even in top-notch physical education programs, kids rarely get this much, which is why it’s so imp