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Kids fitness going downhill by age 10


Stashed in: Children, Fitspo, America!, Parenting

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Despite all the concern about kids' health, the evidence shows that they are now losing physical fitness at an astonishing rate. Physical activity now peaks before age 10 in the USA.

Whoa.

According to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it happened sometime after this generation’s kids learned to walk—and then chose not to. New data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 98.5 percent of youth ages 12 to 15 reported watching TV every day, and 91.1 percent reported using the computer outside of school on a daily basis.

One of the most troubling findings was that physical activity among young people tops out before age 10. Yeah, some people’s fitness careers peak before age two—before they even know what fitness is. In 2004, when CDC scientists invited youngster volunteers to participate in “healthy fitness zone” benchmark testing (which involves jogging on a treadmill), only 42 percent qualified for their zone. And that benchmark keeps getting worse.

Joyce you mentioned that 30 years ago you would never imagine that you'd grow to love exercise.

What changed between then and now?

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