Study: Kids Are Less Fit Than Their Parents Were

[Purveyor]

DALLAS (AP) -- Today's kids can't keep up with their parents. An analysis of studies on millions of children around the world finds they don't run as fast or as far as their parents did when they were young.

On average, it takes children 90 seconds longer to run a mile than their counterparts did 30 years ago. Heart-related fitness has declined 5 percent per decade since 1975 for children ages 9 to 17.

The American Heart Association, whose conference featured the research on Tuesday, says it's the first to show that children's fitness has declined worldwide over the last three decades.

"It makes sense. We have kids that are less active than before," said Dr. Stephen Daniels, a University of Colorado pediatrician and spokesman for the heart association.

Health experts recommend that children 6 and older get 60 minutes of moderately vigorous activity accumulated over a day. Only one-third of American kids do now.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_KIDS_DECLINING_FITNESS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-11-19-13-04-34

One only need to a walk through a mall on saturday to confirm this 'study'...

[badtoworse]

1. When I was kid, I played touch football or sandlot baseball most days after school

I rode my bicycle to get around. There were no computers or video games to enable a sedentary lifestyle. IOW, I got exercise.

I'm not at all surprised at this.

[Purveyor]

2. I'm just amazed on how large some of these kids are. We used to always have a couple heavy

kids in our school but now it is more the normal than the exception.

[Fumesucker]

3. There is a large football/soccer/softball complex right up the road from me

It's basically totally deserted except when there are organized activities, no kids out playing pick up ball or games of any sort.

In fact there aren't even any sidewalks to allow local kids to get to the park without riding in a car but the complex does have a very large parking lot.