Promotion of Activity for Health Related Fitness The exercise prescription model (EPM) used by the fitness industry is to exercise 3-5 times per week for at least 20 continuous minutes while keeping heart rate in a range of 70%-85% of the maximal heart rate. However, for the health benefits associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, the goal is to do moderate intensity activity 30-60 minutes most days of the week. For children, this means keeping them active and moving. Children should be physically active on a daily basis as part of playing games, learning, transportation, recreation, physical education and other activities. Children should be encouraged to be active in school, at home with their families, and in their community. It is generally accepted that in order to promote active lifestyles in children they need to enjoy the experience. In an effort to promote activities that maximize health benefits consider these simple guidelines: Look for fun ways to keep children active and moving throughout the day. Make an effort to reduce the amount of time spent in sedentary activities. Give children the opportunity to develop movement skills in order to enhance their confidence and knowledge. Provide a supportive environment outside of school for children to stay active and moving.

Adult/Child Physical Activity

Continuum of Moderate Amounts of Activity Washing and waxing a car for 45-60 minutes. Playing touch football for 30-45 minutes. Walking 13/4 miles in 35 minutes. Bicycling 5 miles in 30 minutes. Raking leaves for 30 minutes. Playing a basketball game for 15-20 minutes. Jumping rope for 15 minutes. Climbing stairs for 15 minutes. Each of these activities will burn approximately 150 calories of energy. Adapted from the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health

Child Health

Keeping Poisons Out of Kids’ Hands "Toddlers can get into anything and everything around the house, often with dangerous consequences. Learn what you can do to keep medicines and household chemicals out of children’s reach, and what to do in case of an accidental poisoning." Stopping Kids from Overeating Are we setting up our children for a lifetime of weight problems and unhealthy eating? Helping Your Overweight Child In the United States at least one child in five is overweight and the number of overweight children continues to grow. Over the last 2 decades, this number has increased by more than 50 percent, and the number of "extremely" overweight children has nearly doubled.

The Children's Lifetime Physical Activity Model In the 1950's and 60's research was being conducted in the area of exercise prescription for promoting physical activity for health and rehabilitation. Eventually, the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine published guidelines for exercise prescription and testing during the 1970's. The Exercise Prescription Model (EPM) was a guideline used to determine frequency, intensity, duration, and mode of exercise needed to achieve cardiovascular fitness. This model has been used for more than two decades and has been effective for designing exercise programs for adults. In more recent years epidemiological research findings have shown that there is value in lifestyle physical activities for health promotion. The Lifestyle Physical Activity Model (LPAM) is different from the EPM in that the focus is on the amount and type of physical activity needed to produce health benefits not fitness or performance benefits. Using the EPM as a tool for judging activity in children can lead to a belief that children are inactive. The EPM would suggest that moderate to vigorous physical activity needs to be performed in a continuous bout for 20 to 30 minutes at least 3 times per week at a heart rate of 140 bpm and higher. By these standards most research has found that anywhere from 70%-90% of children are inactive or do not meet the EPM standards. The LPAM recommendation is to accumulate a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity throughout the day for most days of the week. Activities can be from planned exercise such as jogging, or more lifestyle oriented like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. According to these standards children typically exceed the minimum amounts of physical activity needed for optimum health benefits. Children are more sporadic exercisers and generally do not engage in continuous high intensity exercise. The guidelines for adults is to expend 3 to 4 kcal/kg/day to attain the desired health benefit. This can be accomplished by following the LPAM. A goal for children is to follow a more optimal standard, the Children's Lifetime Physical Activity Model (C-LPAM). The minimum activity standard for children is the same as the LPAM for adults. However, an optimal goal for all children would be to expend at least 6 to 8 kcal/kg/day by participating in alternating moderate to vigorous bouts of physical activity for 60 minutes most days of the week. The 60 minutes of activity could be distributed over 3 or more activity sessions. Ron Hager Health and Fitness Section Editor

"It is said an eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him with the words, 'And this, too, shall pass away'." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction! ~ Abraham Lincoln ~

Relaxation Techniques for Relief of Anxiety & Stress Find out how stress effects the body, and how to learn relaxation techniques to quiet body and mind. Rainbow Stress Reduction Play your stress away with colorful healing art and stress reducing games. The Healer Within Participate in a rebirth of self-reliance and a new level of vitality that will effect every aspect of your life. The Healer Within can have a positive effect on our families and our communities as well.

Featured Web Sites

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Q: How does my child's diet affect her dental health? A: She must have a balanced diet for her teeth to develop properly. She also needs a balanced diet for healthy gum tissue around the teeth. Equally important, a diet high in certain kinds of carbohydrates, such as sugar and starches, may place your child at extra risk of tooth decay. Find answers to these and other questions at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry web page. There are also resources for teachers and school nurses.

Child Fitness

Stretch-n-Grow Fabulously Fun Fitness! Stretch-n-Grow is a comprehensive fitness program for kids. They are committed to helping educators and parents establish a foundation of exercise and proper nutrition at an early age, before habits gel. The Stretch-n-Grow program teaches children the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle. Making Fitness a Family Affair Getting fit doesn't have to mean time away from your child. In fact, being active with your kids teaches them to make exercise a lifelong habit. Exercise for Children with Arthritis While medications reduce pain and inflammation, only therapeutic exercise can restore lost motion in a joint. A Parent's Guide to Fitness for Kids Who Hate Sports Read this article to find out how you can help to promote fitness in a child who dislikes team sports. Fitness and Your 13-18 Year Old Kids who enjoy sports and exercise tend to stay active throughout their lives. But research has also shown that, from the ages of 13 to 18, there's a steady downward trend in fitness levels.

Contribute YOUR Ideas

If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Section Editors:

	Scott Roberts
	Andy Jenkins
	Darren Dale
	Ron Hager

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