Physical Activity: Guidelines for Youth Let’s Move!

Bureau of Nutrition and Physical Activity

Leadership for a Healthy Arizona

Physical Activity: Guidelines for Youth

Let’s Move!

April 2010

Heather Lysfjord, M Ed,

American College of Sports Medicine: Certified Fitness Instructor



Overview• Physical Activity Guidelines

– Background– Physical activity research findings– Definitions– Physical activity recommendations

• Let’s Move campaign– Healthy choices– Healthier schools– Physical activity– Access to Affordable Healthy Food

• Resources

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Physical Activity Guidelines for Youth

Children and Adolescents ages 6-17



Guidelines Background• US Department of Health & Human Services

(HHS) published comprehensive Physical Activity Guidelines for the first time in 2008

• Physical Activity Guidelines (Guidelines) are for Americans aged 6 years and older

• 1st major review of the science on benefits of physical activity in more than a decade

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Guidelines Background• The more physical activity (PA) you do, the more

you benefit• A total amount of activity per week allows people

to design their own way of meeting the guidelines

• Physical activity recommendations for groups such as children and adolescents, adults, older adults, persons with disabilities, pregnant and postpartum women, and persons with some chronic conditions.

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Research findings• Regular physical activity reduces the risk of

many adverse health outcomes.

• Episodes of activity that are at least 10 minutes long count toward meeting the Guidelines

• Some physical activity is better than none.

• Both aerobic (endurance) and muscle-strengthening (resistance) physical activity are beneficial.

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Research findings

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Research findings• Additional benefits occur as the amount of

physical activity increases through higher intensity, greater frequency, and/or longer duration.

• Health benefits of physical activity occur for children and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, and those in every studied racial and ethnic group.

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Research findings• Health benefits of physical activity are attainable

for people with disabilities.

• The benefits of physical activity outweigh the risks of injury and heart attack.

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DefinitionsAerobic Activity: the body's large muscles move in a

rhythmic manner for a sustained period of time (i.e. brisk walking, running, bicycling, jumping rope, and swimming)

Bone-Strengthening Activity: an activity that produces a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. This force is commonly produced by impact with the ground

Muscle-Strengthening Activity: an activity that causes the body's muscles to work or hold against an applied force or weight

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DefinitionsDuration: how long a person does an activity in

any one session

Frequency: how often a person does aerobic activity; and

Intensity: how hard a person works to do the activity. The intensities most often examined are moderate intensity (equivalent in effort to brisk walking) and vigorous intensity (equivalent in effort to running or jogging)

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DefinitionsSedentary Activity: non-moving activity.

Screen Time: any time spent in front of a screen, such as watching television, DVDs, computer, and/or video games

Structured Physical Activity: an activity planned and directed by a parent, caregiver or teacher, and is designed to accommodate the child’s developmental level

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DefinitionsTummy Time: the time an infant spends on their

stomach throughout the day. Tummy time is only for when the child is awake. Infants should be put to sleep on their back

Unstructured Physical Activity: child-initiated physical activity that occurs as the child explores their environment



Recommendations: • Daily Physical Activity for at least 60 minutes

– Aerobic at least 3 days/week• As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily PA• Moderate- to Vigorous- intensity activity• and Vigorous-intensity activity

– Muscle-strengthening at least 3 days/week• As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily PA • Movements that strengthen muscles with and without weights

– Bone-strengthening at least 3 days/week• As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily PA

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Recommendations: Children & Adolescents with Disabilities

• Meet the guidelines for children & adolescents when possible, or as much activity as condition allows

• Work with health care provider for activities that are appropriate

• Avoid being inactive

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Recommendations: • Daily outdoor time• Age appropriate, fun, and offer variety• Limit screen time to < 2 hours per day

– TV/DVD– Computer– Video games

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Supporting the Recommendations:

• Play games incorporating music, imitation, children led

• Encourage invention & adaption of games

• Support unstructured PA (child led free play)

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Incorporate Physical Activity into Nutrition Messages

• Nutrition Messages– Eat a rainbow– Vegetables– MyPyramid

• Physical Activity– Snack attack– Salad mixer– Rope climbing

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Let’s Move!

Introduction to the Campaign



Let’s Move!

• Goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.– Healthy Choices– Healthier Schools– Physical Activity– Access to Affordable Healthy Food

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Let’s Move!

• Healthy Choices– Empowering Consumers– A prescription for healthier living– Next Generation Food Pyramid– Empowering Change– Let’s Move start up tools

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Let’s Move!

• Healthier Schools– Healthier US Schools Challenge Program– Reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act

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Let’s Move!

• Physical Activity– Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

• Goal is to double the number of children in the 2010-2011 school year who earn a “Presidential Active Lifestyle Award” by engaging in regular physical activity.

– President’s Physical Fitness Challenge• Modernize and increase participation in the

challenge, so it’s not just about how athletic kids are, but how active they are each day

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Let’s Move!

• Access to Affordable Healthy Food– Healthy Food Financing Initiative

• Bring healthier food options to grocery stores, farmers markets, convenience stores, bodegas to underserved areas to eliminate food deserts

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Resources• ADHS Physical Activity

www.azdhs.gov/phs/physicalactivity/• Let’s Move!

www.letsmove.gov/• MyPyramid

www.mypyramid.gov• Nemours: Best practices for physical activity

www.nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/www/filebox/service/preventive/nhps/paguidelines.pdf

• Physical activity guidelineswww.health.gov/paguidelines/

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Documents

Physical Activity: Guidelines for Youth Let’s Move!