A recent study has proved that children run slower and have less cardiovascular endurance than in previous generations. This study revealed a serious decline in the cardiovascular health of children over the last 50 years. The research revealed that modern-day children have approximately 15 per cent less cardiovascular fitness when compared to their parents as children. This is an alarming trend, and one that experts fear may lead to a generation of far less healthy adults.
Although it is alarming, it is not particularly surprising. Schools are doing less physical education than ever, and the focus on tests, classwork and homework is eating into the free time that children used to spend running around and keeping fit. In addition to this, computer technology has also started to fill a lot of the recreation time that children would traditionally spend outdoors playing and having active fun.
If you are a parent, this sedentary trend can be very worrying, but there are things that you can do to help your children get fit (and enjoy it). The best thing that you can do is to model a healthy lifestyle yourself. Children tend to imitate what they see, and if your own diet is lacking in nutrition and your own life lacking in exercise, is it really any wonder that your children are less fit? Try not to think about exercise as a burden, and show your children how much you enjoy going for a run or a workout.
An easy way to motivate and inspire children is simply to play with them. Children love to play with their parents, and when you are actively involved in their games, you can direct the play towards more physical activities like tag, catch or tug of war, or simply running around enjoying the fresh air.
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