Increasing Physical Activity
Physical activity is associated with a wide range
of health benefits, including maintaining a healthy
weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
Yet approximately 80% of U.S. adults and 75%
of children age 6 to 19 do not meet recommendations for physical activity (RWJF, 2014). The
consequences of inactivity are significant. Sedentary adults pay $1500 more per year in health care
costs than more active adults (Anderson et al.,
2005). Children of sedentary mothers are more
likely to be sedentary, whereas those with active
mothers are more physically active (Hesketh
et al., 2014). Among school-age children, regular
physical activity is linked to improved academic
performance and better classroom behavior
(RWJF, 2014). Efforts to curb childhood obesity
include investment in promoting physical activity
through organized physical education classes, integration of fitness activities into course curricula,
and supporting opportunities for physical activity
programs during out of school time.