Family fitness

 Family fitness  allows for all members of a family to participate in physical activity and lead healthy, active lives. An article written by the American Medical Association (2004) states, “If doctors could prescribe only one treatment to ensure a long, healthy life, it would be exercise” (p. 45). Physical activity holds numerous benefits both physically and mentally, and reduces risk factors that often lead to disease and premature death. Environment has much to do with an active lifestyle, and children learn these behaviors early from their parents, peers, and teachers. Promoting healthy habits within the whole family can not only be enjoyable, but also will decrease the risk of common chronic illnesses and prevent obesity.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The majority of people today are not meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The American Heart Association has stated that forty-nine percent of adults who responded to the 2010 NHIS survey did not meet either aerobic or strengthening guidelines of the 2008 Federal Guidelines for physical activity. This large percentage of adults that do not meet the guidelines for physical activity only makes it more apparent that the health in the U.S. needs much improvement.

For adults, at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week is recommended (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). These guidelines note that the minimum amount of time is less (75 minutes per week) if one participates in vigorous activities such as running or swimming, or in a mix of both vigorous- and moderate- intensity activities that are equivalent to the suggested minutes (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). Muscle strengthening activities should be in addition to aerobic exercise, and should work all major muscle groups. Activities that fall under this category include lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing exercises that use one’s body weight, heavy gardening and yoga (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). While these numbers may seem overwhelming at first, they are more manageable when one realizes that activities can be broken down into smaller amounts of time (at least ten minutes) to fit in with a person’s daily schedule.

It is recommended that children spend more time being active and participating in aerobic as well as muscle-strengthening activities. Guidelines for children require at least an hour of aerobic activity a day and participation in muscle strengthening activities at least three times a week (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). This time can be split throughout the day with several activities such as sports, running, climbing, and dancing. Some examples of muscle strengthening activities that would benefit children include push-ups, sit-ups, dance, and gymnastic. Both the guidelines written by United States Department of Health and Human Services for children and adults are the minimum recommendations for an active and healthy lifestyle.

Benefits of Exercise

The benefits for both children and adults who adhere to these guidelines are well documented and lead to longer, happier lives. Physical benefits include prevention of major common chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer. Exercise decreases harmful LDL cholesterol as well as increases the level of helpful HDL (American Medical Association, 2004). High LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Burning calories helps control weight gain, preventing obesity and the debilitating diseases linked to that lifestyle (American Medical Association, 2004). Strengthening muscles and bones through physical activity can prevent falls, can slow the loss of bone density, and can reduce the pain of arthritis (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). Lastly, an active lifestyle leads to an increased level of efficiency of one’s heart and lungs that involves an increase in endurance (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). These physical benefits overall increase ones chance of living longer. People who are physically active for about seven hours a week have a forty percent lower risk of dying early than those who are active less than thirty minutes a week (Centers for Disease Control, 2011).

The mental benefits can lead to a happy, focused, and well-rested being. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, research shows that doing aerobic or a mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities 3-5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can reduce one’s risk of depression, help one sleep, and lead to sharper thinking, learning and judgment skills (Centers for Disease Control, 2011). Physical activity releases hormones including endorphins, boosting one’s energy level and mood as well as reducing stress (American Medical Association, 2004). Furthermore, the physical benefits such as weight loss, and toning of muscles can lead to a more positive self-image and higher self esteem (American Medical Association, 2004). Often the mental benefits are serious motivators for those who choose to lead active lifestyles.

Physical activity is equally beneficial for children, and includes paybacks that extend into adulthood. Those who engage in regular exercise gain strong muscles, bones and joints; lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels; weight control; improved self-image; and improved ability to handle stress (American Medical Association, 2004). Active habits should be promoted from an early age, as this is more likely to lead to an active life in adulthood. If a person is active in childhood, then their risk of bone fracture and heart disease decreases as adults (Rhodes &Naylor, 2010). As parents are the “gate-keepers” of young children, and their experiences during time outside of school, they should promote and plan activities that are active. Encouraging physical activity can be a family affair, with activities that involve all age levels.

Planning Family Activities

When planning activities for children it is important to take into account their age and abilities, as well as their preference for the types of activities. Children acquire physical, mental, emotional and social maturity gradually. In general, ages 2-5 are able to run, jump, throw and catch, but games must be simple and lack serious competition (American Medical Association, 2004). For children between the ages of 6 and 9, games become more complex, but competition should still be minimized with all children participating (American Medical Association, 2004). Children between the ages of 10 and 12 now have more developed mental abilities and motor skills (American Medical Association, 2004). At this age they are able to learn strategy and play organized team sports. These guidelines should be taken into consideration when choosing sports and games for the family. There are an infinite number of ways to promote fitness within the family. A major factor is reducing the amount of time children and parents spend watching television, working or playing at the computer, and playing video games. The National Institutes of Health suggests discouraging sedentary time by limiting screen usage to two hours or less per day (2005). Setting an established and agreed upon limit in the family, leads to clear expectations and discourages using television and computer as easy ways to cure boredom. It will force everyone to be more creative and come up with other activities (Dreisbach, 2011). Their input should be considered when brainstorming physical activities and ideas (National Institutes of Health, 2005). It is important that the pursuits of the family are geared towards the passions and interests of the children as this keeps them excited and engaged in the activities. Lastly, encourage the family to try new activities (Dreisbach, 2011). Finding new hobbies and sports for the family to enjoy will keep physical activity entertaining and enjoyable!

Sources: American Heart Association. (2012). Physical Inactivity. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart- public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319589.pdf

American medical association (2004).Exercise, fitness, and health. American Medical Association Family Medical Guide (45-50). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Centers for Disease Control (2011). Barriers to exercise. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/getactive/barriers.html

Centers for Disease Control (2011). How much physical activity do adults need. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html

Centers for Disease Control (2011). Making physical activity a part of a child’s life. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/getactive/children.html

Centers for Disease Control (2011). Physical activity and health. Retrieved from http://jwww.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html

Dreisbach, S. (2011). Family fitness makeover. Parenting School Years. Retrieved from http://www.parenting.com

National Institutes of Health (2005). We can! Retrieved from http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

Rhodes, R.E., Naylor, P.J., and McKay, H. A. Pilot study of a family physical activity planning intervention among parents and their children. Journal of Behavioral Medicine,33, 91-100.