(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Parents in Chicago may be overestimating their childrens’ level of physical activity.
A recent survey by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital revealed most children are not getting enough exercise.
“What we found is that about two-thirds of parents think their kids are regularly active at a level that would be healthy for them,” said Dr. Matthew Davis, chair of pediatrics at Lurie Children’s Hospital. “But when we asked for details about how often their kids are physically active, we found that only about one out of three children is actually active at the level that is recommended for their age.”
Thirty-three percent of 1- to 5-year-olds had enough daily physical activity to meet recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which call for active play four or more days of the week.
For children ages 6-7, 43% met AAP guidelines that call for physical activity four or more days of the week.
“We know that regular physical activity for children can help improve their mood, give them healthier muscles and bones, help them with coordination, and it also helps with better sleep,” Davis said.
In the longer term, Davis tells WBBM Newsradio that regular activity can help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and liver disease.
More exercise, however, doesn’t mean signing your toddler up for a gym membership.
Davis says it’s much simpler than that: “For example, some families may like to do things like jump rope or play tag or hopscotch, or maybe play a ball game or just have fun with others on the playground.”
For help, parents can turn to the AAP’s physical activity checker stopwatch, a resource to assist them so their children can meet physical activity recommendations.
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