The Huffington Post – Todd Edelson
“As Americans celebrate Father’s Day, it’s a good time to explore the benefit of dads exercising with their children. What a wonderful way to teach your children about the benefits of exercise and a healthy lifestyle. What greater gift (a lifetime of healthy behavior) can we, as fathers, pass on to our children, not to mention the bonding aspect of the father/son, father/daughter relationship?”(more)
Science Daily – Staff Writer
“Physical education in the United States may be failing both teachers and children, suggests new research. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the research suggests there is too much emphasis on increasing physical activity (PA) and this may be at the cost of developing other things like physical literacy. Physical literacy is the mastering of fundamental movement skills and sport skills that allow a child to read their environment and make appropriate decisions, allowing them to move confidently and with control in a wide range of physical activity situations.”(more)
The New York Times – Gretchen Reynolds
“Most children do not meet the federal health guidelines for exercise, which call for at least an hour of it a day for anyone under the age of 18. Physical inactivity can result in weight gain, especially around the midsection — including visceral fat, a type of tissue deep inside the abdomen that is known to increase inflammation throughout the body. It is also linked to heightened risks for diabetes and cardiovascular complications, even in children, and may contribute to declining brain function: Obese adults often perform worse than people of normal weight on tests of thinking skills.”(more)
The Sun Chronicle – Coach Ed Poirier
“Here are my top 10 summertime tips for keeping everyone healthy over the summer.
1. Keep that sunscreen flowing. Having healthy kids is not just for right now, it’s forever. Taking precautions at an early age will go a long way at preventing skin cancer from occurring later in life. Experts recommend using sunscreens with an SPF of 30. Use it and don’t forget to reapply frequently.”(more)
The Citizen Times – Andrea Branton
“Naturally you would think that it would be easy for your child to stay healthy and not gain weight over summer break. Over the summer there are more opportunities to get outdoors, have access to fresher and more cost effective fruits and vegetables, and there isn’t as much hustle to get to school or other activities. However, there is more research coming out that children are gaining at a faster rate over the summer than during the school year.”(more)