Kids, what’s the matter with these kids today, lol! If you are as old as I am you will remember this jingle! Honestly, there is nothing “wrong” with our kids today, they are a product of their environment, many would much rather sit quietly in a comfortable chair and play on their tablets than go out and ride their bikes. Is this really a problem or just a problem for parents and grandparents who get nervous about the lack of physical activity?

A study published in Pediatrics indicates that it may truly be a bigger problem than we know! Although there is no clear guidance on the intensity and duration of physical activity (PA) that adolescents require to maximize cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), the researchers found that the greater the vigorous physical activity, the better their cardiorespiratory fitness.

So, how much vigorous activity do adolescents need? This single study indicates as little as 20 minutes a day. Vigorous activity might include riding a bike >10 miles per hour, aerobic dancing, sprint interval training, endurance swimming, etc. The benefits to cardiovascular fitness are obvious however, there are many other benefits as well including weight control, lower body mass index, lower BP and lower cholesterol. So, get those kids off the couch, and challenge them to a sprint, you will likely beat them! Stay the course, stay informed and stay well!