Children in Day Care Don't Get Enough Exercise, Study Finds (ContributorNetwork)

A study published Jan. 4 in the Journal of Pediatrics shows that children in center-based day care may not be getting enough exercise. With juvenile obesity a major concern for parents and child health experts, researchers looked to find out how day care providers were addressing those issues. Here are facts about physical exercise availability for children.

Children and day care

Seventy-five percent of U.S. children ages three to five spend time in day care. More than half of those children are cared for in facilities like day care centers or preschools. In 2010, almost 40 percent of school-age children 5 to 8 years old also spent time in day care facilities, enrichment centers, after care and non-family care, says Childstats. About 35 percent of kids ages 9 to 11 are cared for by non-family members or in care or enrichment facilities. When both parents are working, children may spend much of their waking time in day care. Children may spend as much as 40 to 60 hours per week at a care facility.

Physical fitness gaps in center-based day care

The Pediatrics study looked at different kinds of care facilities from various socio-economic environments, including Head Start, inner-city programs, Montessori and suburban day care centers. They found that children spent only 2 percent to 3 percent of their time in vigorous physical activity. The study did not calculate time spent in meals and naps. In 4 to 6 hours of activity time only about 10 to 20 minutes of time was spent in exercise. The CDC says children need a minimum of one hour of vigorous activity daily.

Causes for limiting physical activity

Day care providers identified three main reasons for lack of exercise opportunities. First there are many licensing regulations and policies surrounding day care. Toys must pass rigorous safety tests and may not be used if there is any possibility for children to hurt themselves. Center workers said that often children found approved toys dull and so did not play with them. Another obstacle to providing more fitness was that care facilities could not afford to provide expensive, state-approved playground equipment. Lastly, parents requested that children to spend the majority of their day care time in educational, more sedentary pursuits (learning letters, numbers and shapes, for example).

Concerns for parents

Nineteen percent of children start school overweight, says the CDC. In 2011, parents rated obesity as the top concern for their children, WebMD reports. Study authors warn that lack of exercise will only exacerbate weight problems. Additionally, children who spend much of their waking hours in day care may have no other opportunity to get adequate exercise. Preschool children need lots of exercise to develop properly says PBS's Whole Child. Running, jumping, tumbling, catching, hopping, throwing, climbing, crawling, all these are necessary for healthy skeletal and muscle growth. Physical exercise fosters brain activity, perceptual development and coordination. Kids Health says exercise can ward off hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and depression in children, too. Researchers encouraged day care facilities and licensing agencies to look at the whole child and better address their fitness needs.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about parenting concerns from 23 years raising four children and 25 years teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and homeschool.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120105/hl_ac/10794265_children_in_day_care_dont_get_enough_exercise_study_finds

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