Balancing Act 2023: Physical Activity

You've probably heard countless times how exercise is "good for you." But did you know that it can help you feel good too? Getting the right amount of exercise can rev up your energy levels and even help improve your mood.

Did you know 80% of teenagers around the world aren’t getting enough exercise? So, why aren’t they meeting the physical activity recommendations and what can we do about it?

Adolescents should be getting at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity every day, according to the World Health Organization. Yet a 2019 study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal showed less than 20% of school-going adolescents around the globe are getting this much activity, with girls less active than boys.

For health and wellbeing, pre-teens and teenagers need light, moderate and vigorous physical activity each day.
Pre-teens and teenagers need to do activities that strengthen muscles and bones.
Busy pre-teens and teenagers might need to plan how they’ll get enough physical activity.
A healthy lifestyle balances physical activity, homework, screen time and other activities

This article looks at the issues that can arise from compulsive exercise in young people.

During the wintertime, teenagers try to stay fit and active by exercising, despite the cold weather. Some teens find it hard to work out in the winter because it isn't as warm outside.

The results of this study show that most of the apps for physical activity have recent updates and are mainly related to cardiovascular exercise or strength for two purposes: either for exercise accounting or the creation of training plans for the user. They are intended for users of very heterogeneous ages and, therefore, do not take into account their individual characteristics.

We sought to determine if an exercise programme of moderate aerobic intensity would decrease the heart-rate response to mental stress in teenagers with normal hearts.