Exercise protects against depression world over: comprehensive study

Radio Canada International – Lynn Desjardins

An analysis of 49 studies involving more than 266,000 people suggests that physical activity can protect against the emergence of depression. “If you look across the world there is consistent evidence that physical activity has the capacity to prevent the onset of depression, not for everybody. But disproportionately, higher activity leads to lower risk of depression,” says Dr. Benjamin Goldstein, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Sunny Brook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. “That’s true across different continents, for men and for women, for old and young.” (more)

Children have muscles that perform like those of endurance athletes, study finds

ABC News – Tegan Taylor

Ever wondered why kids can run around all day and never seem to get tired? A new study suggests it’s because their muscles resist fatigue in a similar way to those of elite endurance athletes. The study, published yesterday in Frontiers in Physiology, asked young boys, untrained men and endurance athletes to do high intensity exercise, then looked at how quickly their muscles fatigued and recovered. The researchers quite literally put the participants through their paces, having them perform strenuous activity on a stationary bike. (more)

How much exercise your kid needs, based on the latest research

CNN – Jacqueline Howard

It’s a question with an answer that researchers are still trying to better understand: How much exercise do kids need on a daily basis? In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children and adolescents should get at least an hour of physical activity each day. The United Kingdom’s National Health Service recommends the same. (more)

Tips for getting your child outside to play and exercise this summer

The Omaha World-Herald – Angee Nott

Summer is a time of year to get kids out and moving. After all, students are stuck inside most of the day during the school year. Movement can also be limited during the winter, spring and fall months due to weather. Youth not participating on sports teams during the year are moving even less. But it’s important for kids to move. (more)