A new study by the University of Georgia has shown that while grown-ups exercise mostly to lose weight, children should exercise to build endurance, or how well their bodies can handle long periods of exercise. Physical education for children should be centered on motivating children to be active, educating them on the benefits of exercise and improving their physical skills.
According to the authors of the study, strengthening children’s cardiorespiratory endurance should be the main goal in exercise for children. Even children who are overweight can still achieve the recommended one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. The BMI of a person is measured to find out if he or she is overweight, obese or normal weight. The measurement is said to indicate that children who are more active in PE are more likely to remain active after school.
Lead author of the study, associate professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education Sami Yli-Piipari, explained that the research had demonstrated that even in young children, those who are fitter with regard to cardiorespiratory endurance took part in more intense physical activities. He also stated that children who were a little overweight could still be relatively fit and that the weight didn’t really matter.
The study involved 450 kids, between the ages of 10-12, who participated in one and a half hours of mandatory physical education (PE) each week. During the day, the children wore an accelerometer on their right hip to record the total physical activity for a week. Additionally, simple tests, such as being able to do a crunch or a modified or regular push-up, were used to find out the children’s mastery of physical skills. The researchers also evaluated whether students took part in PE because it was mandatory or because they enjoyed it.
Yli-Piipari added that PE mattered, as the activities helped students not only learn skills but also presented them with the opportunity to do something active at a higher level than they normally might after the school day. The study was conducted in Finland, as students in that country have more time allotted to PE classes as their fellow American students. Finnish PE classes focus on the significance of exercise and how to include it into students’ daily activities.
As prior research had already shown, boys tended to be more active when compared to girls. Surprisingly though, motor skills and muscle strength did not depend on activity levels. The researchers discovered that motivation did not play a role in whether a student wanted to take part in PE or whether they enjoyed the PE classes. Those who were generally less active in their down time were found to be children who didn’t take part in after-school activities.
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