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Youth Fitness Crisis: A Time Bomb for Future Health

The fitness of our children is rapidly declining, causing long-term damage to their health and placing strain on the healthcare system. This article explores the alarming rise in obesity-related diseases and the importance of parents in modeling healthy behaviors. It also highlights the benefits of exercise in preventing various health conditions.

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Youth Fitness Crisis: A Time Bomb for Future Health

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  1. youth • Forget international terrorism. There’s a huge time bomb ticking right under our noses, the effect of which will be far more devastating than any weapon of mass destruction. • The fitness of our children is plummeting faster than ever, with long-term damage being wreaked on the health of the next generation of adults – this crisis is also going to place an immense strain on the entire healthcare system, as it struggles to cope with the onslaught of obesity- related degenerative disease conditions. • Ultra Fit magazine • 2003/07/14

  2. youth • 66% of children too unfit for sport. • Accent on achievement results in physical deterioration • Dr JAP Nel, Head of The School for Development of Children and Kinetic Science in Cape Town, makes the above statement after comprehensive research about the fitness of children • 42 477 South African children evaluated • 66.5% of the children’s fitness varies between average and poor. • Article 1 : Rapport

  3. youth • Illness of bad eating habits and sitting • too much • Twenty years ago it was unheard of for children to get Type 2 Diabetes. These days 30 to 50% of all new diabetes cases in the United States are children younger than 19 years. • Article 5 : Rapport

  4. youth • The study concluded that the onset of puberty marks a sharp division between those who are very active and those who become very sedentary. • R. Telema et al. Physical ASctivity in Childhood and Adolescence as Predictor of Physical Activity in Young Adulthood”. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 1997: 13 (4).

  5. youth • Puberty, a time when young people are developing values and habits that can last a lifetime is also a period during which many young people are increasingly choosing a sedentary lifestyle over an active one. • But it is equally clear that parents play a decisive role in modeling healthy – or unhealthy - lifestyle behaviours for their children far in advance of these critical adolescent years. Indeed, eating habits are formed early in life, and both eating and activity patterns mirror family of origin patterns. • What is the best way to convince young people of the health benefits of regular exercise? First convince their parents, according to guidelines published by the CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity.

  6. youth To emphasise the overwhelming benefits of exercise we can look at the following research articles :

  7. Benefits of exercise Helps prevent Helps treat RECOMMENDED AGES (yrs) 0 20 40 60 80 Coronary heart disease •• Depression • • Hypertension • • Obesity • • Osteoporosis • • Stroke • Diabetes (Type I) • Diabetes (Type II) • Breast, cervical, ovarian cancer • Back Pain • • Colon Cancer • Congestive heart failure • Rheumatoid Arthritis • (Booth and Tseng. Med Sci Sports Ex, 1995)

  8. youth • Atherosclerosis (boys) • This study included some 2 876 subjects, aged 15 to 34, who died of external causes. The autopsies revealed that fat streaks and fibrous plaques had begun to appear in this age group. The authors concluded that primary prevention of atherosclerosis must, therefore, start in childhood. • J P Strong et al. Prevalence and Extent of Atherosclerosis in Adolescents and Young Adults, Implications for prevention from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study. JAMA 1999, Vol. 281, N8.

  9. Osteoporosis (girls) Years 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Bone density Growth Loss of bone Peak bone mass Figure 1 : Change in bone density over the life span Source : James S. Skinner, A physiologist’s Perspective. Osteoporosis and Exercise: Guidelines for Exercise Professionals (1998)

  10. youth • Use sport to develop a child and build his or her self-esteem, not for status. Expert reacts to child’s suicide • Families and schools are busy neglecting their responsibility to help young people develop into thinking adults in the pursuit of sporting achievements. • Article 2 : Beeld

  11. youth Immediate benefits - Stronger bone formation - Reduced anxiety/stress - Improved self-esteem - Improved concentration - Academic performance - Social skills

  12. youth Long-term benefits - Obesity - Coronary heart disease - Diabetes - Osteoporosis - Stroke - Hypertension - Depression

  13. youth What is the role of the parents? Mental (Intellectual) Psychological (Emotional) Physical (Diet)

  14. youth • No reason to buy expensive supplements and vitamins as long as the child follows a healthy and balanced diet. • Vitamins no help against • infection, says study • “ This certainly raises questions regarding the current hype surrounding health, specifically with reference to the myriad of vitamin and mineral supplements that are being touted on the market.” • Article 1 : Pretoria News

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