How do you know if your child is getting enough activity to be fit? What are the measurements that will help you out? Is there a gauge that gives you the number you are looking for? Is it measured by time, distance, heart rate, or some other measurement? There is not a simple answer to these questions. To start with, most kids don’t need their activity level measured. Most kids who have an active lifestyle who are outdoors playing daily and participating in organized activities do not need to worry about how much activity they are getting. For some kids it is just obvious that they are getting enough activity to be fit.
Which kids can benifit
Which kids may need to have their activity measured? There are two groups of children who it may be worth wild to determine how much activity they are getting. The first group are the kids that are active only part of the time. They also spend some time in front of screens. They are not involved with or have minimal time involved in organized sports. These are the kids that are not constantly active but are not sedentary either. If you are a parent of one of these types of children the easiest thing to do may be just to go ahead and make changes in their lifestyle. Limit screen time and work to get more active every day. But knowing their activity level may help to determine how much change needs to be made.
The second group of kids that it may be of interest to measure their activity would be kids who are obviously not getting enough movement. I am talking about the kids that have body composition problems. I am also talking about kids who just are not active. With these kids you would measure and track their activity levels so that you can make improvements. As with most changes I think it is best to make it gradually. Keeping track of activity will help a parent do that. Also when there is a number involved then you can challenge your child or make it a game to see improvments. Also keeping track can help you know if you are making progress.
Measuring Time
There are two ways to measure activity level in kids: time and step count. The most common measurement is time. 60 minutes of play per day is the standard that most professional pediatric health organizations quote. The CDC states that kids should get “60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day” Even the NFL has jumped on the 60 minute band wagon with its play 60 program that was started in 2007. This measurement seems straightforward and easy to quantify, but the CDC adds a wrinkle to it. They suggest kids 3 times per week have vigorous activity added to the 60 minutes and furthermore 3 times per week kids should have muscle strengthening activity and 3 times per week bone strengthening activity. You can get more details and explanations on the CDC website. So this measurement is time in minutes per day and days per week.
Counting Steps
The second measurement of a child’s activity level is counting steps. I think this can be a good way to get an estimate of your child’s activity. It may not be perfect. It does not take into account activity that does not involve walking or running. Some common activities that it does not account for is biking, swimming, and strength training. But in the end it is a good approximation of your child’s activity. To get this measurement your child will need a pedometer. These can be relatively cheap or if you want one that does more than just keep steps but also has other functions like measuring heart rate, distance and other interesting values than you can invest in a fitness watch. Companies like Fitbit and Garmin offer high quality devices.
So what is the goal? How do you use the data? There are some standards that are in print. The most common standard that I have seen is 10,000 steps per day is good for health. But there is a lot of specific research that has been done. I have seen studies that suggest preschoolers should get anywhere from 10,000-14,000 steps per day, 6-11 year olds should get 11,000-15,000 per day and 12-19 year olds should get 10,000-12,000 per day. These are just guidelines and give you an idea where to start. I think the best way to use a pedometer is to help increase activity level. It is a measurement of activity and if your child needs to increase their activity because they have a body composition concern or they just need to be more fit then you can set a goal. The thing that has to happen though is there needs to be a plan to increase the number. One way is to schedule activity. This should help but then as we check the count in the afternoon if the child is short of the goal then you need to have a plan on what to do to increase the steps. Maybe you go for a walk or run, kick a soccer ball or shoot some hoops until you get the goal.
The best way to make sure your child is getting enough activity is to be active everyday and have varied activities. Try to have some activities that are moderate and easy, but also have some activity where your child gets themselves out of breath and is sweating. These activities are good for the heart, lungs, and produce increased fitness. If you are unsure how well your child is doing then measure their activity level and then make changes to your lifestyle as needed. In the end your kids just need to Move It.
