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Physical Activity and the Health of Young People |
Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
• Helps build and maintain healthy bones and muscles.1
• Helps reduce the risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.1
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and promotes psychological well-being.1
Long-Term Consequences of Physical Inactivity
• Overweight and obesity, influenced by physical inactivity and poor diet, are significantly associated with an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status.2
• Physical inactivity increases the risk of dying prematurely, dying of heart disease, and developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure.1
Obesity Among Youth
• The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6–11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12–19 more than tripled, increasing from 5.0% to 17.6%.3
• Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults;4 one study showed that children who became obese by age 8 were more severely obese as adults.5
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