I noticed in Alberta that children between kindergarten and grade 9 are getting 30 minutes of physical education each school day. Do all children get this amount of activity? Does it matter how hard they exercise?
Answer: When the Alberta government announced that its province will be the first in Canada to mandate daily physical activity for children between kindergarten and grade 9, many teachers and parents as well as some experts were quite excited. Given the ever-increasing public health challenge of overweight in children, the thinking (or at least optimistic anticipation) was that it would help stem the tide and reduce obesity.
According to recent published data, that optimism may be premature, if not downright incorrect. A study published in the August edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition asked two very important questions:
- Does high-intensity physical activity in children reduce cardiovascular risk?
- Is high-intensity activity better at keeping children slim?
Swedish researchers, based out of the world-famous Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, were able to show that more intense workouts are better than lower-intensity workouts at keeping kids slim.
The Swedish authors did a fabulous job of defining the intensity of workouts, by using measurements of accelerometry, in 780 children between the ages of 9 and 10 years old. Children were divided into two groups: moderate activity and vigorous activity. Children who engaged in vigorous activity for more than 40 minutes daily had less body fat than those who were this active for just 10-18 minutes per day. The vigorously active children also had a higher cardiovascular fitness.
The researchers concluded that vigorous-intensity physical activity may have greater impact in preventing obesity in children than lower-intensity physical activity. Furthermore, both total and at least moderate to vigorous activity may improve children's cardiovascular fitness, with vigorous activity being superior.
When doctors prescribe antibiotics, they use a particular type of medication at a specific dose, for a certain number of times per day and duration, and appropriate for the condition they are treating. Unfortunately, in the world of physical activity there are no objective, universal standards to base recommendations on. It is an educated guess at best, and few experts in this field fully agree on the ideal quality and quantity of physical activity.
The Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) recommends at least 90 minutes of physical activity each day. When busy schools and teachers balk at this number, the CPS is quick to note that 90 minutes refers to a cumulative number. For example, add the school workouts with climbing stairs, shooting hoops at night after supper and helping dad (hopefully!) cut the lawn.
Most children in Alberta schools, if not the majority, do not frequently experience high-intense workouts, whereas some do not even get exercise Monday through Friday, as originally intended by the government’s mandate. Teachers are stressed and many try hard to ensure that the original plans are carried out, but it is a difficult task for many; they need plenty of support from the leadership in their school districts. A great Canadian resource for teachers and parents can be found at www.cahperd.ca.
Dr. Phil Lawler, one of the most respected experts in the field of physical activity in schools, has made it his life mission to collect data to help both teachers and families make the most of physical activity at schools. A number of corporations are so convinced of Dr. Lawler's data that they have donated huge sums of money to support quality, physical education classes in U.S. schools. Lawler's research convincingly shows that a daily physical activity class at school leads to:
- Better self-esteem
- Better moods
- Less discipline problems
- Improved attitudes
- Improved grades
- Better reading scores
- Less ADHD
- Better overall health
Not so long ago, Dr. Lawler did an interview with Dr. Ken Cooper, the father of aerobics, on Dr. Cooper's weekly radio broadcast. For more information, or to listen to that interview (July 22, 2006), see www.cooperwellness.com (Search in Radio Show to download a free pod cast of the interview which, in my opinion, is an absolute must for any teacher interested in doing the best job possible with daily physical education).
Lawler is deeply enthusiastic about the resource www.PE4life.org and agrees wholeheartedly with Harvard psychiatrist John J. Ratey MD, a world-renowned expert in harnessing the psychiatric effects of exercise (see www.johnratey.com). Dr. Ratey calls exercise "miracle growth for the brain".
Even though it appears that intense exercise works the best at keeping children slim, there are some intriguing results showing that even some simple physical activities in the classroom may be beneficial. For example, when children sat on Swiss balls instead of chairs, many had better grades, presumably due to better blood flow to the brain as well as improved posture and concentration.
The psychosocial benefits of regular exercise in children are well captured in a book by James H. Humphrey, Child Development Through Sports. Humphrey, who has been involved in children's sports at every level for nearly 60 years, helps parents know which sports are best for children, at what age a child should play organized sports, how many sports a child should play, and how to judge a good sports program.
For more details on the Karolinska study, refer to www.medlineplus.gov and search for either Dr. Michael Sjostrom or Dr. Jonatan R. Ruiz, the main authors of this provocative study.
Access www.healthykids.ca for a terrific new resource in helping families raise healthy children - HealthyKids with Dr. Nieman will optimize your child's complete health.
An informed parent is ... an empowered parent.