Obesity numbers are going up and the CDC along with many doctors and experts are concerned. According to the CDC, the percentage of children and teens classified as obese has more than tripled since the 1970s.  There are nearly 15 million children and teens who are considered obese. Experts say it’s a simple matter of eating too much and moving too little. Dr. Rebecca Sierra, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician in Bloomington says that kids need to get a minimum of an hour of physical activity a day.

Dr. Sierra says it doesn’t need to be anything organized, kids just need to get moving. 

Parents can help their kids get active by shutting off screen time. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids ages 8-18 now spend an alarming 7 ½ hours in front of a screen for entertainment. Dr. Sierra says that number is way tho high as that adds up to 114 full days of screen time over the course of a year. 

Physically active kids have higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and stronger muscles and typically have lower body fat and stronger bones.  Physical activity has also been shown to reduce depression and improve cognitive skills. Dr. Sierra says getting involved in your kids activities can also help you stay active as well.

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