Exercise and Adolescents
Exercise and Adolescents
Exercise is an important part of keeping adolescents healthy. Encouraging healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents is important for when they grow older. Lifestyles that are learned in childhood are more likely to stay with the child into adulthood. Some changes in lifestyle can be harder to make as a person ages. The best way to promote healthy lifestyles is for the whole family to become involved.
Establishing an exercise plan
A daily exercise program is a fun way to share physical activity with family and friends while helping to establish good heart-healthy habits. The following exercise guidelines for adolescents can help you and your adolescent plan activities:
Adolescents need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days for maintenance of good health and fitness and for healthy weight during growth.
Parents are encouraged to limit children's screen time (TV, video, and computers) to less than 2 hours daily and replace these sitting activities with activities that require more movement.
Even low-to-moderate intensity activities for as little as 30 minutes a day can be helpful. These activities may include the following:
Pleasure walking
Climbing stairs
Dancing
Home exercise
Regular aerobic physical activity increases a child's capacity for exercise. It also plays a role in the prevention of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Aerobic activities are continuous activities that cause the heart rate and breathing rate to increase. Aerobic exercise can also help to lower blood pressure. To prevent dehydration, encourage children to drink fluid regularly during physical activity. Also, to drink several glasses of water or other fluid with no added sugar after the physical activity is completed. Examples of vigorous activities may include the following:
Brisk walking
Running
Swimming
Cycling
Roller skating
Jumping rope
Playing on the playground
Dancing
Gymnastics
Hiking
Soccer
Tag games
For adolescents, daily exercise may help prevent conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels, as well as poor lifestyle habits that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life.
Exercise on a regular basis is part of a healthy lifestyle. But some adolescents can exercise too much. If your adolescent begins losing weight and falls below expected growth patterns, or if exercise interferes with other normal activities including school, you should talk with your adolescent's health care provider.
Benefits from regular exercise or physical activity
According to the American Heart Association and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, the following are key benefits of physical activity:
Improves blood circulation throughout the body
Keeps weight under control
Improves blood cholesterol levels
Prevents and manages high blood pressure
Prevents bone loss
Boosts energy level
Releases tension
Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
Improves self-image
Helps manage stress
Fights anxiety and depression
Increases enthusiasm and optimism
Increases muscle strength
Updated:  
June 25, 2017
Reviewed By:  
Bellendir, Trina, MSPT, CLT,Topiwala. Shehzad. MD