Healthy Children

The benefits of better health and fitness start at an early age.

Healthy children are more likely to develop into healthy adults. Playing sports and regular physical activity can reduce your childrens’ risk of many of the chronic diseases of adulthood. Student athletes do better academically and have lower school drop-out rates than their nonathletic counterparts. Frequent regular physical activity can enhance childrens’ mental health, reducing symptoms of stress and depression and improve their self-esteem.

Physical activity and exercise have been clinically proven to enhance your mood and reduce anxiety. Playing sports and getting regular exercise act as a natural, cost-effective intervention for the mental health of adolescents. Numerous authors have documented a combination of psychosocial benefits such as self-confidence, self-esteem, higher energy levels and positive body image. It is important to note that these gains appear to be influenced by interactions with parents, who can either encourage or dampen a child’s interest and involvement in sports.

The benefits for our growing daughters are especially important.

Researchers found that the more days adolescent females exercised per week, the more likely they were to postpone their first experience with sexual intercourse. Second, preliminary analysis from a study of adolescents from western New York (an area with one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the United States) indicated that higher rates of athletic participation among adolescent females were significantly associated with lower rates of both sexual activity and pregnancy (Sabo, Farrell, Melnick, & Barnes, 1996).

What can we - as parents - do to encourage our little loved ones to join in the fun? Lead by example is one vital step. Second - encourage our childrens' teachers and school administrators. Girls and boys need to work and play together, starting from an early age. It is often easier for both sexes to play together and learn in small, relaxed groups where children know each other well.

Sports and physical activity can serve as a social and cultural intersection where adolescents, parents and caring adults can come together in mutually supportive ways. The swimming pool, or basketball court are safety zones where our children can hang out together and have fun in a healthy environment. Sports can help our youth test and challenge themselves, learn about competition, develop physical endurance, strength and flexibility, and have fun all at the same time.

Healthy children can grow up to be well balanced, happy and healthy adults!