Promoting more physical activity is one of the most significant goals of public health policies. CBC News (2018) reports that updated physical activity guidelines for both adults and children were released in 2018. They are aimed at fighting “the obesity epidemic that affects nearly 40 percent of American adults and adds nearly $117 billion to health care costs” (CBC News, 2018, para. 1). The main benefit of these guidelines is the introduction of physical activity recommendations for 3-5-year-olds. This federal document also includes classroom-based interventions, which should become the basis for increasing the activity of children in schools (Physical activity guidelines, 2022). Although these guidelines are not a complete policy, their implementation in schools can have a significant impact on public health in the long term.
Lack of physical activity is a serious problem for modern Americans. A minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a day, which also includes housework, reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and obesity, according to the guidelines (CBC News, 2018).
This aspect identifies the need to promote a healthier lifestyle based on activity for the modern population. While these guidelines are intended as recommendations for adults, they are critical to improving the health of today’s children. In particular, the promotion of physical activity in the classroom and at home will create conditions for the development of healthy habits, which in the long term leads to an overall improvement in the health of the population. Additionally, these recommendations may encourage more parents to closely monitor the health of their children by stimulating their activity. These aspects undoubtedly have a positive impact on the future health of the population and will allow many children to avoid the development of serious diseases.
References
CBC News. (2018). New federal guidelines count short bursts of activity, housework as exercise. CBC News. Web.
Physical activity guidelines for Americans. (2022). Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Web.