• Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence improves strength and endurance, helps build healthy bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces anxiety and stress, increases self-esteem, and may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that young people aged 6–17 years participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.
• In 2013, 27.1% of high school students surveyed had participated in at least 60 minutes per day of physical activity on all 7 days before the survey, and only 29% attended physical education class daily.
• Schools can promote physical activity through comprehensive school physical activity programs, including recess, classroom-based physical activity, intramural physical activity clubs, interscholastic sports, and physical education.
• Schools should ensure that physical education is provided to all students in all grades and is taught by qualified teachers.
• Schools can also work with community organizations to provide out-of-school-time physical activity programs and share physical activity facilities.

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
Regular physical activity—

• Helps build and maintain healthy bones and muscles.
• Helps reduce the risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer.
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and promotes psychological well-being.
• May help improve students’ academic performance, including
  • Academic achievement and grades
  • Academic behavior, such as time on task
  • Factors that influence academic achievement, such as concentration and attentiveness in the classroom.

Long-Term Consequences of Physical Inactivity

• Overweight and obesity, which are influenced by physical inactivity and poor diet, can increase one’s risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status.
• Physical inactivity increases one’s risk for dying prematurely, dying of heart disease, and developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure.