Active Outdoor Play -- Are Kids Getting Enough?

(ARA) - There is an epidemic sweeping our nation and if things don't change soon, there are going to be some serious repercussions. According to the American Association of Obesity, today's youth are considered the most inactive generation in history.

Instead of riding bikes, playing on playgrounds and participating in sports, these days a lot of American kids are spending the majority of their free time sitting around. They're watching TV, playing video games, working on the computer, text messaging, etc.

They're not eating very well either. According to the American Dietetic Association, instead of choosing healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and pretzels, too many kids are filling up on junk food.

Poor diets combined with a lack of activity explain why approximately 30.3 percent of American children ages 6 to 11 are now overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. Meantime, 30.4 percent of children ages 12 to 19 are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese.

Excess weight in childhood and adolescence has been found to be a good indicator that a person will remain overweight as an adult. And we all know the dangers associated with being heavy as an adult: coronary heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure just to name a few.

The American Dietetic Association blames kids' lack of activity on reductions in school physical education programs and the lack of access to community recreational facilities. But some of the blame lies on parents too.

So what can you do to turn things around for your child? A good place to start is by showing your son or daughter that you're serious about improving the situation.

1. Go for walks, jogs or bike rides daily

Now that warmer weather has returned, there's no excuse for staying inside. Set aside time each day after school or work to go for a walk, run, jog or bike ride. Any of these activities will offer a good amount of exercise, and help you burn calories.

Walking at a speed of 3 miles per hour will burn 280 calories every 60 minutes; bicycling will burn 450 calories per hour; jogging at 5 miles per hour will burn 500 calories; and running, 700 plus calories per hour.

2. Enroll the kids in sports

The kids will burn some serious calories if they participate in sports after school. The average 155 pound teenager will burn 281 calories per hour participating in a competitive volleyball game; 563 calories per hour in a basketball game or tennis match; 633 calories playing competitive football; and 844 calories per hour rowing.

The ability to burn a high number of calories in a short time isn't the only benefit kids get from competitive sports. They also teach children of all ages how to function as a member of a team, how to strategize, and the importance of giving it their all.

3. Get a play set

If you have younger kids, you don't want to wait until they're of school age to make sure they're getting adequate amounts of exercise. Encourage them to stay active by putting a play set in the backyard. There are basically three types to choose from -- plastic, metal and wood.

After doing a lot of research to figure out which type was best, Karl Jessen, a dad from New Jersey, decided to invest in a wooden set for his sons. "I couldn't find an affordable one that met my standards, so I decided to build one on my own," he says. That first set, which had swings, tunnels, a spiral slide, fort and sandbox became the prototype for a company Jessen started up in 1998 called Detailed Play Systems.

The Internet-based company provides its customers with complete kits including the Detailed Plans needed to build their playground, the hardware, swings, slides, and accessories. The wood is not included, but each kit contains a Lumber Purchase Guide that shows exactly what wood needs to be purchased to build each configuration.

Kits from Detailed Play Systems range from $169 for a basic Jungle Fort Builder Kit to $900 and up for the works -- a dual fort plus swing set combination. The company's most popular kit, the Jungle Fort Swing Set kit, sells for $389. It features a large 6 foot by 6 foot fort with sandbox beneath, complete with inclined step ladder, gangplank ramp, and an attached 3-position swing set. Accessories such as periscopes, telescopes, steering wheels, sandbox covers, and specialty swings -- full bucket or flat swings -- can be added on to kits or purchased individually and used to upgrade an existing backyard playground.

If you decide to build a playground yourself, Jessen says you can count on the project taking a weekend or two to complete. He estimates about 8 hours for the wood processing, which includes cutting the wood to size and drilling the holes for the bolts, and another 8 hours for assembly.

Detailed Play Systems is based in New Jersey, but does most of its business online and through catalogs. To order a catalog, call (800) 398-7565 or log on to www.detailedplay.com. Shipping is available in the 48 contiguous United States.

Courtesy of ARAcontent