This Commentary provides sobering information on major
increases in chronic health conditions, especially obesity,
asthma, and ADHD, among US children and youth, along
with evidence for common pathways to that growth, especially
reflecting fundamental changes in the environments
of growing children.
The article includes references to studies completed over the past 20 years, all indicating and supporting what we already know or suspected.
Youth in the United States spend little time per day
on moderate and vigorous physical activity; physical activity
levels decline markedly through the ages of 10 to 16 years.
Physical environments and community recreational facilities
impact how children use their time and particularly their
likelihood of physical activity. Lack of recreational opportunities,
especially in urban areas, along with increasing parental
anxiety about children’s outdoor play, has limited children’s
opportunities for physical activity. Walking and
bicycling by children have declined, as has the percentage
of high school students enrolled in daily physical education
classes.
