Physical Activity Facts

At a glance

  • Students who are physically active may have improved grades, attendance, memory, and focus.
  • Children and adolescents need to participate in physical activities that are enjoyable and age appropriate.
  • The national recommendation for schools is to develop a comprehensive approach for physical education and physical activity in schools.
A group of happy students

Physical activity guidelines

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, recommends that children and adolescents aged 6–17 years do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.

Benefits of physical activity

Regular physical activity can help children and adolescents improve heart-lung fitness, as well as build strong bones and muscles. Physical activity can also control weight, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of developing health conditions like:

  • Heart disease.
  • Cancer.
  • Type 2 diabetes.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Obesity.

Recommendations for physical activity

  • Aerobic: Most of the 60 minutes or more per day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Young people should include vigorous-intensity physical activity on at least 3 days a week.
  • Muscle-strengthening: Children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days a week.
  • Bone-strengthening: Children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days a week.

These guidelines state that children and adolescents be given options and encouragement for physical activity. The physical activities should be: varied, age appropriate, and enjoyable.

The national recommendation for schools is to have a comprehensive approach for addressing physical education and physical activity in schools. This approach is called Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs.

Physical activity behaviors of young people

  • Just 24% of children aged 6–17 years participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
  • In 2017, only 26.1% of high school students had at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity on all 7 days of the previous week.
  • In 2017, 51.1% of high school students did muscle-strengthening exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, weight lifting) on 3 or more days in the previous week.
  • In 2017, 51.7% of high school students attended physical education classes in an average week. And only 29.9% of high school students attended physical education classes daily.

Consequences of physical inactivity

Lack of physical activity can:

  • Lead to energy imbalance (using less energy through physical activity than consumed through diet). This can increase the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
  • Increase the risk of factors for cardiovascular diseases. These include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, obesity, and insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
  • Increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
  • Increase the risk for developing breast, colon, endometrial, and lung cancers.
  • Lead to low bone density, which in turn leads to osteoporosis.

Resources

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Content Source:
Division of Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. 2018. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
  • Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2018. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/PAG_Advisory_Committee_Report.pdf
  • National Physical Activity Plan Alliance. The 2018 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. 2018. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://paamovewithus.org/for-transfer/reportcard/
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report: Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth. 2012. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/pag-mid-course-report-final.pdf
  • Institute of Medicine. Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. National Academies Press; 2013. Accessed September 25, 2024. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=18314&page=R1
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010. Accessed September 25, 2024.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011;60(RR-5):1–76.
  • Michael SL, Merlo C, Basch CE, Wentzel KR, Wechsler H. Critical connections: health and academics. J Sch Health. 2015;85(11):740–758.
  • Cuenca-Garcia M, Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, et al. Combined influence of healthy diet and active lifestyle on cardiovascular disease risk factors in adolescents. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24(3):553–562.
  • Kriska A, Delahanty L, Edelstein S, et al. Sedentary behavior and physical activity in youth with recent onset of type 2 diabetes. Pediatrics. 2013;131(3):e850–e856.
  • The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI). 2016–2017 National Survey of Childrens Health. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health; 2019. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://www.childhealthdata.org/docs/default-source/nsch-docs/spss-codebook_-2016-2017nsch_drcv1_01-11-19.pdf