The Examiner – Sharon Gloger Friedman
“The key to getting overweight kids to exercise more may be who they pal around with, according to a new study. The research, presented March 3 at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology/Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2015 in Baltimore, found children are more likely to engage in exercise if their friends are physically active. “Clinically, much of the focus on increasing physical activity involves engaging the family and encouraging the patient to be more active, but this study suggests that encouragement may not be enough. Clinicians may also need to consider how to get children to be active with their friends,” lead study author Jessica Graus Woo, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, said in a American Heart Association (AHA) news release. While regular exercise is essential to managing weight for both children and adults, little is known about how children perceive the benefits or barriers to engaging in the physical activity they need. The AHA sees this as a critical issue because one in three American children and teens are overweight or obese.”(more)