While no one doubts that exercise is good for kids, there have been few studies out there that actually give hard data to support this claim.

Robert Malina, Professor Emeritus of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas in Austin, tells the New York Times that the CDC's recommendation in 2004 advising kids to get 20-60 minutes of exercise a day was sort of an educated guess based on the limited knowledge they had.

But a European study has changed all of the guesswork. A study conducted in Leipzig, Germany was conducted after implementing daily physical exercise programs in schools for one year. A group of 188 students were tested, some of whom had a daily exercise class that included 15 minutes of endurance training, and some that participated in sports programs twice a week.

After one year, the results, which were posted in EuroPrevent 2009, have all been positive. HDL cholesterol levels were higher, systolic blood pressure was lower, and endurance capacity was 29% greater. But the biggest surprise to the researchers was that the obesity rate dropped down to 9%, from 13%. Researchers intend to follow the Leipzig children for the next 10-20 years to determine how physical fitness regimens will affect their lifestyles as adults.

While the European news is good, in the United States, the No Child Left Behind bill has resulted in cuts in physical education programs. In a letter to the New York Times, John P. Allegrante, professor of Health and Behavior Studies for the Teacher's College at Columbia University writes . . .the narrowing of the curriculum under No Child Left Behind is leaving too many children and adolescents out of shape.

This means that parents have an added burden to ensure that kids are getting some form of physical activity in their daily lives. The Mayo Clinic suggests that parents are huge motivators when it comes to fitness: A parent's active lifestyle is a powerful stimulus for a child. The clinic encourages parents to take part in family walks in the park, swimming dates, and even a good game of catch in the front yard.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also encourages parents to monitor screen time to only 1 2 hours of television and/or video games per day.

Lynne Vaughn, national consultant to the YMCA believes that it's important for parents and after school programs to focus on joyful, childhood activities. Or, in other words, to bring back childhood play.

Learn more about this author, Rachel Stockton.
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