A recent study demonstrates a sharp drop in activity as children become teenagers.
Average levels of moderate-to-vigorous activity fell from three hours a day at age 9 to less than an hour at age 15. Through age 12, more than half the children got at least the government-recommended amount of activity every day. By age 15, less than one-third were that active on weekdays, and only about 17 percent were on weekends.
One of the study's authors cited dropped recess and gym classes and the increasing use of video games and computers as possible causes.
James Griffin, science officer for the study, said the results send a message to parents that it's important to teach their kids to balance computer time with more active pursuits.
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Health professionals worry about this trend because of increasing levels of obesity and heart disease throughout the country. They fear the trend may be starting at a young age now than in years before.
Discussion Starters Do you see ways our physical health is related to our spirituality? How so, or why not? Do you think daily exercise should be a part of our rhythm in the same way daily devotionals are? What are other disciplines we should follow as followers of Jesus?
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