
This article will look at exercise and youth, it has reviewed several articles which points to the benefits and risks of exercise and physical activity. Much can be deciphered from review of these articles as more care givers and stakeholders become concerned in the increase in childhood obesity. Some government bodies have taken steps towards curbing this increase through the implementation of policies, and sports and fitness experts have been developing programmes that are specific for children. Here in the Cayman Islands, ‘Fitness Connection’ a fitness/aquatic facility has a range of programmes for children. They even have a swimming programme for babies from 3 months and upward, where parents swim with their youngsters.
Most exercise and conditioning, when executed safely and correctly, delivers many benefits to today’s youth. However, there are also risks associated with training the youth population. These risks can all be avoided by following some basic guidelines, and a training plan tailored to the child or adolescent.
Most exercise and conditioning, when executed safely and correctly, delivers many benefits to today’s youth. However, there are also risks associated with training the youth population. These risks can all be avoided by following some basic guidelines, and a training plan tailored to the child or adolescent.
Zatsiorsky, in the Science and Practice of Strength Training, states that there are many benefits that can be obtained by children and adolescents by adapting a strength training program. He mentions that there are many general health benefits that can be obtained. The youth that participates in exercise can experience improved sports performance due to increased flexibility, increased strength, increased endurance, and increased power output. Injury prevention is another benefit of exercise, as well as weight control.
Article Reviews
Michael Milani posted in an article entitled ‘Is Weight Safe for Today’s Youth?’ a few points from other articles that support youth fitness. In this article he looked at the following;
‘The American Council of Exercise (ACE) has published several benefits, while most of the benefits are physical or physiological, several are also psychological. For example, ACE states that a youth participating in exercise/training can experience improved muscular fitness, bone mineral density, body composition, motor fitness performance and injury resistance. Also, from a psychological aspect, they can experience increased self esteem, mental discipline and improved socialization skills.
The International Sport Sciences Association (ISSA) states in their Youth Fitness Trainer certification materials that “exercise is important during growth. It contributes to a better-developed functional capacity and can enhance neural and musculoskeletal development. Exercise habits established during childhood and adolescence will carry over to adulthood. Many studies show that overweight children become overweight or obese adults. Exercise habits established during the school years may help prevent a life-long problem with weight control.”
The International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) in their book, Development Essentials, also gives several benefits to children and adolescents being active in a training or exercise program. These benefits include muscle endurance, injury prevention, and muscle growth. There are also several tissue adaptations that take place, such as strength, weight, and thickness increases in tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.’
Michael Milani also looked at the risks associated with youth and exercise, in his article. He stated that Along with the benefits of a solid exercise program for children and adolescents, there are also potential risks, including injury. The IYCA states that a study reported the data from 1991-1996 on injuries associated with weightlifting in participants 21 years old or younger. In this time period, there were approximately 20940-26120 injuries reported. “Most of the injuries were considered preventable due to a cause of improper technique, attempting maximal lifts, and unsupervised training”. Zatsiorsky gives improper exercise technique, improper spotting, and incorrect equipment use/fit as risks and paths to injury. The IYCA and ISSA also states that children and adolescents should avoid maximal lifts and efforts as well. Everyone seems to agree that injuries are a risk, but can be avoided.
The article also made mention of the IYCA guidelines that can be followed to avoid most risks associated with exercise, namely;
1. Planning of training programs must take into consideration the level of physical maturation of the athlete.
2. In comparison to the expert lifters, novice weightlifters tend to use techniques that predispose the athlete to injury. Proper technique should be emphasized at all times.
3. Avoid maximal loads or large increases in loading or activity in developing athletes.
4. Horseplay should never be tolerated in the weight room.
5. Supervision by a qualified instructor must be provided at all times.
Another risk that the IYCA and the ISSA point out is the existence of any muscular or postural imbalances in the participant. Any imbalances can later hinder improvements in performance and may cause injury. Even further, as a trainer, the failure to recognize these imbalances and correcting them can increase these risks.
Safety is another issue to consider when involved with any form of training, especially in youths. The article also made references to other programmes that speak to safety. There are many myths and fallacies associated with the risks involved in exercise and youth. One fallacy that ACE points out is that many people think that training will “stunt growth” of their children. This is definitely not true. This fallacy stems from the possibility of damaging the epiphyseal growth places during heavy training. The NSCA states that “Although children and adolescents are susceptible to injury to the growth cartilage, the potential for this type of injury may be less in a preadolescent child than in an adolescent because the growth cartilage may actually be stronger and more resistant to sheering type forces in younger children. To date, injury to the growth cartilage has not been reported in any prospective youth resistance training research study. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that resistance training will negatively impact growth and maturation during childhood and adolescence.
By using a long term program designed appropriately for the child or adolescent, using proper technique, adding variety, allowing for individual characteristics, and using suitable training load increases we all but eliminate the risks associated with training
The following is directly from the NSCA’s position on youth strength training:
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recognizes and supports the premise that many of the benefits associated with adult resistance training programs are attainable by children and adolescents who follow age-specific resistance training guidelines.
It is the current position of the NSCA that:
1. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program is relatively safe for youth.
2. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can enhance the muscular strength and power of youth.
3. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can improve the cardiovascular risk profile of youth.
4. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can improve motor skill performance and may contribute to enhanced sports performance of youth.
5. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can increase a young athlete’s resistance to sports related injuries.
6. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help improve the psychosocial well-being of youth.
7. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help promote and develop exercise habits during childhood and adolescence.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommend that children and adolescents aged 6-17 years should have 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day.
In an article by the Ahwatukee Foothills News, dated May 15, 2012 Dr Chuck Corbin stated that ‘Performed properly, with appropriate supervision, muscle fitness training has health and performance benefits for youth. In addition to building muscle, resistance training increases bone density. Also increasing muscle mass can increase resting calorie expenditure and is beneficial in maintaining a healthy body weight’. This means that exercise in youths does provide many benefits, especially in light of the fact that most regions in the world is being faced with an obesity problem that extends to our youths.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has realised that Despite the many health benefits associated with regular physical activity, many children and adolescents do not participate in physical activity for 60 minutes or more each day. For this reason a ‘Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ was developed. To promote the guidelines and support youth physical activity, CDC and several partner organizations developed the Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit, which highlights strategies that schools, families, and communities can use to support youth physical activity. The tool kit takes in different components of fitness for youths as outlined in the guidelines below;
‘Children and adolescents should have 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily.
Doing more than seven minutes of vigorous exercise a day was associated with reduced chances of being overweight and of having elevated systolic blood pressure.
Light or moderate exercise did not lead to any significant changes in cardiometabolic risk factors
Exercise also has psychological benefits, in a feasibility study on Exercise for Adolescents with Depressive Disorders (Depression Research and Treatment. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 257472). The study assessed the feasibility of a 12-week intervention designed to increase exercise for adolescents with depressive disorders Participants were 13 adolescents with depression reporting low levels of aerobic exercise. They completed a 12-week intervention (15 supervised exercise sessions and 21 independent sessions). Exercise was measured through the aerobic exercise Questionnaire, actigraphy, and heart-rate monitoring. Depression was measured with the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, Revised, and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report. The results showed that all participants who started the intervention completed the protocol, attending all supervised exercise sessions. Actigraphy verified 81% adherence to the protocol’s independent sessions. Analysis of secondary outcomes showed a significant increase in exercise levels and a significant decrease in depression severity. Initially, ten participants were overweight or obese, and three were healthy weight. After 12 weeks of exercise, the number of participants in the healthy-weight category doubled.
Do Exercise Programs Help Children Stay Fit? This article was written by Gretchen Reynolds who writes for the popular "Phys Ed" column for The New York Times. She writes that getting children to be more physically active seems as if it should be so simple. Just enroll them in classes and programs during school or afterward that are filled with games, sports and other activities. But an important new review of the outcomes of a wide range of different physical activity interventions for young people finds that the programs almost never increase overall daily physical activity. The youngsters run around during the intervention period, then remain stubbornly sedentary during the rest of the day.
For the review, which was published last week in the British medical journal BMJ, researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in England collected data from 30 studies related to exercise interventions in children that had been published worldwide between January 1990 and March 2012.
To be included in the review, the studies had to have involved children younger than 16, lasted for at least four weeks, and reported objectively measured levels of physical fitness, like wearing motion sensors that tracked how much they moved, not just during the exercise classes but throughout the rest of the day. The studies included an American program in which elementary school-age students were led through a 90-minute session of vigorous running and playing after school, three times a week. Another program involved Scottish preschool youngsters and 30 minutes of moderate physical playtime during school hours, three times a week.
In each case, the investigators had expected that the programs would increase the children’s overall daily physical activity.
That didn’t happen, as the review’s authors found when they carefully parsed outcomes. The American students, for instance, increased their overall daily physical activity by about five minutes per day. But only during the first few weeks of the program; by the end, their overall daily physical activity had returned to about where it had been before the program began. The wee Scottish participants actually became less physically active over all on the days when they had the 30-minute play sessions.
The review authors found similar results for the rest of the studies that they perused. In general, well-designed, well-implemented and obviously very well-meaning physical activity interventions, including ones lasting for up to 90 minutes, added at best about four minutes of additional walking or running to most youngsters’ overall daily physical activity levels.
The programs “just didn’t work,” at least in terms of getting young people to move more, said Brad Metcalf, a research fellow and medical statistician at Peninsula College, who led the review.
Why the programs, no matter their length, intensity or content, led to so little additional daily activity is hard to understand, Dr. Metcalf said, although he and his co-authors suspect that many children unconsciously compensate for the energy expended during structured activity sessions by plopping themselves in front of a television or otherwise being extra sedentary afterward. It is also possible, he said, that on a practical level, the new sessions, especially those taking place after school, simply replaced time that the youngsters already devoted to running around, so the overall additive benefit of the programs was nil.
But the broader and more pressing question that the new review raises is, as the title of an accompanying editorial asks, “Are interventions to promote physical activity in children a waste of time?”
Thankfully, the editorial’s authors answer with an immediate and emphatic “no.” If existing exercise programs aren’t working, finding new approaches that do work is essential, they say.
They point out that active children are much more likely to be active adults and that physically active children also are far less likely to be overweight. A convincing, if separate body of scientific evidence has shown that the most physically active and fit children are generally the least heavy.
A WebMD article entitled ‘Exercise for Children With ADHD’ looked at some of the benefits of exercise in children with ADHD.
One of the hallmarks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is fidgety, restless behavior. That's why many kids with ADHD wiggle and squirm whenever they're asked to sit still for any length of time. To release that restless energy, kids with ADHD need to get plenty of exercise.
Research is finding that staying active not only lets kids with ADHD burn off steam, but it also can help with issues such as:
Exercise and the Brain
Exercise isn't just good for toning muscles. It can help keep the brain in shape, too. When kids exercise, their brain releases chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters include dopamine, which is involved with attention.
The stimulant medicines used to treat ADHD work by increasing the amount of this same chemical in the brain. So it makes sense that a workout can have many of the same effects on children with ADHD as stimulant drugs.
In studies published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, kids with ADHD who exercised performed better on tests of attention, and had less impulsivity, even if they weren't taking stimulant medicines.
Researchers think exercise works on children's brains in several ways:
Blood flow. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. Kids with ADHD may have less blood flow to the parts of their brain responsible for:
Brain activity. Exercise increases activity in parts of the brain related to behavior and attention.
One of the areas in which kids with ADHD have particular trouble is with executive function. That's the set of problem-solving skills we use to plan and organize.
A lack of these skills makes it hard for your ADHD child to remember to finish his homework or to take his lunch with him when he leaves for school. There is some evidence that exercise improves executive function in kids with ADHD.
Many kids with ADHD also struggle with social interactions and have behavioral issues. Participating in sports can have the added benefits of improving both of these areas.
In studies, kids who exercised got in trouble less often for disruptive behaviors such as talking out of turn, name calling, hitting, moving inappropriately, and refusing to participate in activities.
Because of all these benefits, exercise can boost the effectiveness of ADHD medicine when they are used together. It also can help kids who haven't responded to stimulant drugs or other ADHD medications.
Beyond helping ADHD symptoms, there are many other reasons to get kids to exercise. Engaging in regular fitness activities can help kids:
But there is evidence that getting outside and spending time in nature can calm the storm in some kids with ADHD. In one study, just a 20-minute walk in the park helped kids with ADHD concentrate better.
Exercise should be one part of a well-rounded ADHD treatment plan, which may also include medicine and therapy. See a pediatrician, psychologist, or psychiatrist to come up with the best ADHD treatment plan for your child
Livestrong.com points out that in terms of the risks in youth exercise, some concerns about youth strength training hold true when the program is not designed properly. For example, the epiphyseal plate, also known as the growth plate, has not fully developed in youth athletes, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) suggests that safety must be ensured by teaching kids proper weight lifting technique, and moving them forward slowly. Further, like with any athlete, soft-tissue injuries can occur in the lower back and shoulders of youth. The NSCA again suggests using adult supervision at all times, teaching proper technique and progressing the program slowly.
In designing youth strength training and conditioning exercises, NSCA claims that there are two important considerations to make. First, the quality of instruction is essential. Most injuries occur because of kids lifting with poor technique or horsing around in the gym. Demonstration of proper technique and skill development can prevent this. Second, the rate of progression must be gradual. The primary focus for youth strength training should be on technique--not on increasing load. Though use of heavy loads has been shown to lead to improved strength in children, these loads must be increased gradually, and always with proper technique.
NSCA further states that kids are not miniature adults. Kids often lack the psychological and physical maturity needed to understand the risks associated with training. Therefore, adults should always take the time to explain the purpose of each exercise and demonstrate proper technique. Exercise Prescription on the Net suggests that youth resistance training not exceed 15 hours per week, should be variable and target the entire body, and should be fun.
Conclusion
Based on the articles reviewed above, it can be concluded that there are many benefits of youth exercise, including psychological, physical, and physiological. There are risks involved but can be avoided if exercises are executed properly, safely and under professional adult supervision.
Resources
http://www.takethemagicstep.com/coaching/families/training-exercise/benefits-of-exercise-for-children/
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/exercise-for-children-with-adhd_?page=2
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/do-exercise-programs-help-children-stay-fit/
http://www.ahwatukee.com/community_focus/article_5c5d9ef2-d345-11e0-b2ab-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/drt/2012/257472/
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/09/10/exercise-does-boost-teens-health-study-finds
http://www.cdc.gov/Healthyyouth/physicalactivity/guidelines.htm#1
http://www.totalhumanperformance.net/2010/10/is-weight-training-safe-for-todays-youth/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/243719-conditioning-strength-training-for-youth-in-sports/#ixzz2KqWXxb7b
Article Reviews
Michael Milani posted in an article entitled ‘Is Weight Safe for Today’s Youth?’ a few points from other articles that support youth fitness. In this article he looked at the following;
‘The American Council of Exercise (ACE) has published several benefits, while most of the benefits are physical or physiological, several are also psychological. For example, ACE states that a youth participating in exercise/training can experience improved muscular fitness, bone mineral density, body composition, motor fitness performance and injury resistance. Also, from a psychological aspect, they can experience increased self esteem, mental discipline and improved socialization skills.
The International Sport Sciences Association (ISSA) states in their Youth Fitness Trainer certification materials that “exercise is important during growth. It contributes to a better-developed functional capacity and can enhance neural and musculoskeletal development. Exercise habits established during childhood and adolescence will carry over to adulthood. Many studies show that overweight children become overweight or obese adults. Exercise habits established during the school years may help prevent a life-long problem with weight control.”
The International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) in their book, Development Essentials, also gives several benefits to children and adolescents being active in a training or exercise program. These benefits include muscle endurance, injury prevention, and muscle growth. There are also several tissue adaptations that take place, such as strength, weight, and thickness increases in tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.’
Michael Milani also looked at the risks associated with youth and exercise, in his article. He stated that Along with the benefits of a solid exercise program for children and adolescents, there are also potential risks, including injury. The IYCA states that a study reported the data from 1991-1996 on injuries associated with weightlifting in participants 21 years old or younger. In this time period, there were approximately 20940-26120 injuries reported. “Most of the injuries were considered preventable due to a cause of improper technique, attempting maximal lifts, and unsupervised training”. Zatsiorsky gives improper exercise technique, improper spotting, and incorrect equipment use/fit as risks and paths to injury. The IYCA and ISSA also states that children and adolescents should avoid maximal lifts and efforts as well. Everyone seems to agree that injuries are a risk, but can be avoided.
The article also made mention of the IYCA guidelines that can be followed to avoid most risks associated with exercise, namely;
1. Planning of training programs must take into consideration the level of physical maturation of the athlete.
2. In comparison to the expert lifters, novice weightlifters tend to use techniques that predispose the athlete to injury. Proper technique should be emphasized at all times.
3. Avoid maximal loads or large increases in loading or activity in developing athletes.
4. Horseplay should never be tolerated in the weight room.
5. Supervision by a qualified instructor must be provided at all times.
Another risk that the IYCA and the ISSA point out is the existence of any muscular or postural imbalances in the participant. Any imbalances can later hinder improvements in performance and may cause injury. Even further, as a trainer, the failure to recognize these imbalances and correcting them can increase these risks.
Safety is another issue to consider when involved with any form of training, especially in youths. The article also made references to other programmes that speak to safety. There are many myths and fallacies associated with the risks involved in exercise and youth. One fallacy that ACE points out is that many people think that training will “stunt growth” of their children. This is definitely not true. This fallacy stems from the possibility of damaging the epiphyseal growth places during heavy training. The NSCA states that “Although children and adolescents are susceptible to injury to the growth cartilage, the potential for this type of injury may be less in a preadolescent child than in an adolescent because the growth cartilage may actually be stronger and more resistant to sheering type forces in younger children. To date, injury to the growth cartilage has not been reported in any prospective youth resistance training research study. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that resistance training will negatively impact growth and maturation during childhood and adolescence.
By using a long term program designed appropriately for the child or adolescent, using proper technique, adding variety, allowing for individual characteristics, and using suitable training load increases we all but eliminate the risks associated with training
The following is directly from the NSCA’s position on youth strength training:
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recognizes and supports the premise that many of the benefits associated with adult resistance training programs are attainable by children and adolescents who follow age-specific resistance training guidelines.
It is the current position of the NSCA that:
1. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program is relatively safe for youth.
2. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can enhance the muscular strength and power of youth.
3. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can improve the cardiovascular risk profile of youth.
4. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can improve motor skill performance and may contribute to enhanced sports performance of youth.
5. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can increase a young athlete’s resistance to sports related injuries.
6. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help improve the psychosocial well-being of youth.
7. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help promote and develop exercise habits during childhood and adolescence.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommend that children and adolescents aged 6-17 years should have 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day.
In an article by the Ahwatukee Foothills News, dated May 15, 2012 Dr Chuck Corbin stated that ‘Performed properly, with appropriate supervision, muscle fitness training has health and performance benefits for youth. In addition to building muscle, resistance training increases bone density. Also increasing muscle mass can increase resting calorie expenditure and is beneficial in maintaining a healthy body weight’. This means that exercise in youths does provide many benefits, especially in light of the fact that most regions in the world is being faced with an obesity problem that extends to our youths.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has realised that Despite the many health benefits associated with regular physical activity, many children and adolescents do not participate in physical activity for 60 minutes or more each day. For this reason a ‘Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ was developed. To promote the guidelines and support youth physical activity, CDC and several partner organizations developed the Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit, which highlights strategies that schools, families, and communities can use to support youth physical activity. The tool kit takes in different components of fitness for youths as outlined in the guidelines below;
‘Children and adolescents should have 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily.
- Aerobic: Most of the 60 or more minutes a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days a week.
- Muscle-strengthening: As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week.
- Bone-strengthening: As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week’.
Doing more than seven minutes of vigorous exercise a day was associated with reduced chances of being overweight and of having elevated systolic blood pressure.
Light or moderate exercise did not lead to any significant changes in cardiometabolic risk factors
Exercise also has psychological benefits, in a feasibility study on Exercise for Adolescents with Depressive Disorders (Depression Research and Treatment. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 257472). The study assessed the feasibility of a 12-week intervention designed to increase exercise for adolescents with depressive disorders Participants were 13 adolescents with depression reporting low levels of aerobic exercise. They completed a 12-week intervention (15 supervised exercise sessions and 21 independent sessions). Exercise was measured through the aerobic exercise Questionnaire, actigraphy, and heart-rate monitoring. Depression was measured with the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, Revised, and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report. The results showed that all participants who started the intervention completed the protocol, attending all supervised exercise sessions. Actigraphy verified 81% adherence to the protocol’s independent sessions. Analysis of secondary outcomes showed a significant increase in exercise levels and a significant decrease in depression severity. Initially, ten participants were overweight or obese, and three were healthy weight. After 12 weeks of exercise, the number of participants in the healthy-weight category doubled.
Do Exercise Programs Help Children Stay Fit? This article was written by Gretchen Reynolds who writes for the popular "Phys Ed" column for The New York Times. She writes that getting children to be more physically active seems as if it should be so simple. Just enroll them in classes and programs during school or afterward that are filled with games, sports and other activities. But an important new review of the outcomes of a wide range of different physical activity interventions for young people finds that the programs almost never increase overall daily physical activity. The youngsters run around during the intervention period, then remain stubbornly sedentary during the rest of the day.
For the review, which was published last week in the British medical journal BMJ, researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in England collected data from 30 studies related to exercise interventions in children that had been published worldwide between January 1990 and March 2012.
To be included in the review, the studies had to have involved children younger than 16, lasted for at least four weeks, and reported objectively measured levels of physical fitness, like wearing motion sensors that tracked how much they moved, not just during the exercise classes but throughout the rest of the day. The studies included an American program in which elementary school-age students were led through a 90-minute session of vigorous running and playing after school, three times a week. Another program involved Scottish preschool youngsters and 30 minutes of moderate physical playtime during school hours, three times a week.
In each case, the investigators had expected that the programs would increase the children’s overall daily physical activity.
That didn’t happen, as the review’s authors found when they carefully parsed outcomes. The American students, for instance, increased their overall daily physical activity by about five minutes per day. But only during the first few weeks of the program; by the end, their overall daily physical activity had returned to about where it had been before the program began. The wee Scottish participants actually became less physically active over all on the days when they had the 30-minute play sessions.
The review authors found similar results for the rest of the studies that they perused. In general, well-designed, well-implemented and obviously very well-meaning physical activity interventions, including ones lasting for up to 90 minutes, added at best about four minutes of additional walking or running to most youngsters’ overall daily physical activity levels.
The programs “just didn’t work,” at least in terms of getting young people to move more, said Brad Metcalf, a research fellow and medical statistician at Peninsula College, who led the review.
Why the programs, no matter their length, intensity or content, led to so little additional daily activity is hard to understand, Dr. Metcalf said, although he and his co-authors suspect that many children unconsciously compensate for the energy expended during structured activity sessions by plopping themselves in front of a television or otherwise being extra sedentary afterward. It is also possible, he said, that on a practical level, the new sessions, especially those taking place after school, simply replaced time that the youngsters already devoted to running around, so the overall additive benefit of the programs was nil.
But the broader and more pressing question that the new review raises is, as the title of an accompanying editorial asks, “Are interventions to promote physical activity in children a waste of time?”
Thankfully, the editorial’s authors answer with an immediate and emphatic “no.” If existing exercise programs aren’t working, finding new approaches that do work is essential, they say.
They point out that active children are much more likely to be active adults and that physically active children also are far less likely to be overweight. A convincing, if separate body of scientific evidence has shown that the most physically active and fit children are generally the least heavy.
A WebMD article entitled ‘Exercise for Children With ADHD’ looked at some of the benefits of exercise in children with ADHD.
One of the hallmarks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is fidgety, restless behavior. That's why many kids with ADHD wiggle and squirm whenever they're asked to sit still for any length of time. To release that restless energy, kids with ADHD need to get plenty of exercise.
Research is finding that staying active not only lets kids with ADHD burn off steam, but it also can help with issues such as:
- lack of focus
- impulsivity
- poor social skills
Exercise and the Brain
Exercise isn't just good for toning muscles. It can help keep the brain in shape, too. When kids exercise, their brain releases chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters include dopamine, which is involved with attention.
The stimulant medicines used to treat ADHD work by increasing the amount of this same chemical in the brain. So it makes sense that a workout can have many of the same effects on children with ADHD as stimulant drugs.
In studies published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, kids with ADHD who exercised performed better on tests of attention, and had less impulsivity, even if they weren't taking stimulant medicines.
Researchers think exercise works on children's brains in several ways:
Blood flow. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. Kids with ADHD may have less blood flow to the parts of their brain responsible for:
- thinking
- planning
- emotions
- behavior
Brain activity. Exercise increases activity in parts of the brain related to behavior and attention.
One of the areas in which kids with ADHD have particular trouble is with executive function. That's the set of problem-solving skills we use to plan and organize.
A lack of these skills makes it hard for your ADHD child to remember to finish his homework or to take his lunch with him when he leaves for school. There is some evidence that exercise improves executive function in kids with ADHD.
Many kids with ADHD also struggle with social interactions and have behavioral issues. Participating in sports can have the added benefits of improving both of these areas.
In studies, kids who exercised got in trouble less often for disruptive behaviors such as talking out of turn, name calling, hitting, moving inappropriately, and refusing to participate in activities.
Because of all these benefits, exercise can boost the effectiveness of ADHD medicine when they are used together. It also can help kids who haven't responded to stimulant drugs or other ADHD medications.
Beyond helping ADHD symptoms, there are many other reasons to get kids to exercise. Engaging in regular fitness activities can help kids:
- Stay at a healthy weight
- Keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in a normal range
- Reduce risk of diabetes
- Improve self-confidence and self-esteem
But there is evidence that getting outside and spending time in nature can calm the storm in some kids with ADHD. In one study, just a 20-minute walk in the park helped kids with ADHD concentrate better.
Exercise should be one part of a well-rounded ADHD treatment plan, which may also include medicine and therapy. See a pediatrician, psychologist, or psychiatrist to come up with the best ADHD treatment plan for your child
Livestrong.com points out that in terms of the risks in youth exercise, some concerns about youth strength training hold true when the program is not designed properly. For example, the epiphyseal plate, also known as the growth plate, has not fully developed in youth athletes, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) suggests that safety must be ensured by teaching kids proper weight lifting technique, and moving them forward slowly. Further, like with any athlete, soft-tissue injuries can occur in the lower back and shoulders of youth. The NSCA again suggests using adult supervision at all times, teaching proper technique and progressing the program slowly.
In designing youth strength training and conditioning exercises, NSCA claims that there are two important considerations to make. First, the quality of instruction is essential. Most injuries occur because of kids lifting with poor technique or horsing around in the gym. Demonstration of proper technique and skill development can prevent this. Second, the rate of progression must be gradual. The primary focus for youth strength training should be on technique--not on increasing load. Though use of heavy loads has been shown to lead to improved strength in children, these loads must be increased gradually, and always with proper technique.
NSCA further states that kids are not miniature adults. Kids often lack the psychological and physical maturity needed to understand the risks associated with training. Therefore, adults should always take the time to explain the purpose of each exercise and demonstrate proper technique. Exercise Prescription on the Net suggests that youth resistance training not exceed 15 hours per week, should be variable and target the entire body, and should be fun.
Conclusion
Based on the articles reviewed above, it can be concluded that there are many benefits of youth exercise, including psychological, physical, and physiological. There are risks involved but can be avoided if exercises are executed properly, safely and under professional adult supervision.
Resources
http://www.takethemagicstep.com/coaching/families/training-exercise/benefits-of-exercise-for-children/
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/exercise-for-children-with-adhd_?page=2
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/do-exercise-programs-help-children-stay-fit/
http://www.ahwatukee.com/community_focus/article_5c5d9ef2-d345-11e0-b2ab-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/drt/2012/257472/
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/09/10/exercise-does-boost-teens-health-study-finds
http://www.cdc.gov/Healthyyouth/physicalactivity/guidelines.htm#1
http://www.totalhumanperformance.net/2010/10/is-weight-training-safe-for-todays-youth/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/243719-conditioning-strength-training-for-youth-in-sports/#ixzz2KqWXxb7b