Exercise and Physical Activity

Common attitudes about health/exercise: Not a priority…we lack a true understanding of the mind-body connection and how exercise affects more than just our appearance… Exercise helps to “burn some energy”…actually exercise releases hormones that have a calming, focusing effect The myth of “Skinny = Healthy” “I’m the same weight I was in high school” On eating unhealthy foods/eating in excess: “You’ve got room for it” The truth is that our brain CRAVES exercise.

How Physically Active Are High School Students? * Were physically active doing any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time for a total of at least 60 minutes/day during the 7 days before the survey. Source: National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007.

Overweight and Obesity Defined Overweight: having extra body weight, for a particular height, from fat, muscle, bone, or water. Obesity: having a high amount of excess body fat. Energy Balance Energy In = Energy Out

Percentage of U.S. Children and Adolescents Who Were Overweight* Ages Ages * >95th percentile for BMI by age and sex based on 2000 CDC BMI-for-age growth charts **Data are from for children 6-11 years of age and from for adolescents years of age Source: National Center for Health Statistics

*>95th percentile for BMI by age and sex based on 2000 CDC BMI-for-age growth charts. **1963–1970 data are from 1963–1965 for children 6–11 years of age and from 1966–1970 for adolescents 12–17 years of age. Source: NCHS. Health, United States, 2010: With Special Feature on Death and Dying. Hyattsville, MD Percentage of U.S. Children and Adolescents Classified as Obese, 1963–2008 *

Obesity Not just an adult concern anymore… Conditions Seen in Children High Cholesterol Type 2 Diabetes/ Impaired Glucose Tolerance High Blood Pressure Social Problems and Poor Self-Esteem Sleep Disturbances Orthopedic Problems

Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become overweight or obese adults Heart Disease Cancer Stroke Type 2 Diabetes Osteoarthritis Physical Disability High Blood Pressure Sleep Apnea

Genetics Environment Unhealthy Diet Sedentary Lifestyle Lack of Physical Activity Factors Contributing to Obesity

Rationale Physical activity and healthy eating are linked with Academic Success Health and Well-being Risk for Obesity Risk for Chronic Conditions (e.g., osteoarthritis) Risk for Chronic Diseases (e.g., cancer)

What are Aerobic Activities? Activities that keep your body moving enough to increase your heart rate and make you breathe harder There are two intensities of aerobic activity: – Moderate-intensity – Vigorous-intensity

Types of Moderate- and Vigorous- Intensity Aerobic Activities Type of Physical Activity Age Group ChildrenAdolescents Moderate- intensity aerobic Active recreation, such as hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading Bicycle riding Brisk walking Active recreation, such as canoeing, hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading Brisk walking Bicycle riding (stationary or road bike) Housework and yard work, such as sweeping or pushing a lawn mower Games that require catching and throwing, such as baseball and softball Vigorous- intensity aerobic Active games involving running and chasing, such as tag Bicycle riding Jumping rope Martial arts, such as karate Running Sports such as soccer, ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming, tennis Cross-country skiing Active games involving running and chasing, such as flag football Bicycle riding Jumping rope Martial arts, such as karate Running Sports such as soccer, ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming, tennis Vigorous dancing, cross-country skiing

Benefits of aerobic exercise: Physically: improves visual tracking, coordination/dexterity, hand speed, health and fitness Emotionally: enhances ability to cope with feelings of anger and stress, reduces behavioral issues, improves self- image, raises motivation through goal- setting, improves cooperative skills Cognitively: improves alertness and concentration, significantly enhances learning and recall of learned information

Types of Muscle-Strengthening Activities Type of Physical Activity Age Group ChildrenAdolescents Muscle-strengthening Games such as tug-of- war Modified push-ups (with knees on the floor) Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands Rope or tree climbing Sit-ups (curl-ups or crunches) Swinging on playground equipment/bars Games such as tug-of-war Push-ups and pull-ups Resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines, hand- held weights Climbing wall Sit-ups (curl-ups or crunches)

What Are Bone-Strengthening Activities? Activities that produce a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength, such as jumping Activities that are especially important for young people because the greatest gain in bone mass occur during the years just before and during puberty

Types of Bone-strengthening Activities Type of Physical Activity Age Group ChildrenAdolescents Bone-strengthening Games such as hopscotch Hopping, skipping, jumping Jumping rope Running Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis Hopping, skipping, jumping Jumping rope Running Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis

The Relationship Between Fitness Levels and Academic Achievement, in California Grade 7

The science behind it all… from John Ratey’s book, SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain Our brains are capable of growing new nerve cells (called neurogenesis) and strengthening connections among each other our entire life. The more connections our nerve cells make among themselves, the stronger and faster our ability to learn and recall new information. Paths → Roads → Highways → Freeways & Bypasses There are 2 ways to grow and strengthen these connections: -Aerobic exercise -Complex tasks that require bilateral coordination and/or that cross the midline (cross-lateralization) i.e. Playing a musical instrument or CUP STACKING! These different types of tasks compliment one another

Complex Tasks Activities that require us to coordinate movements involving both sides of our body force us to create new connections between nerve cells in the brain BRAIN EXERCISES – Double Doodle – words, pictures – Rock, Paper, Scissors – Countdown – Hand Weave – Gotcha! – Fingers, Toes, and Friends – Copy Cat (follow your partner’s /teacher’s pattern) – Keyboard (with/without music)

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) “Miracle Gro” for new nerve cells in the brain A hormone that pools near the synapses where signals (information) are transmitted between nerve cells in the brain BDNF helps grow and protect nerve cells When we exercise, most of our blood is sent to working muscles to deliver glycogen and oxygen but… Almost immediately after aerobic exercise, blood and BDNF flood the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, the part of our brain that is responsible for creativity and “cognitive flexibility”…the ability to learn new info.

Exercise and the Brain: Improves learning on 3 levels 1.Optimizes alertness, attention, and motivation 2.Prepares/encourages nerve cells to connect to one another, the basis for learning new info 3.Spurs development of new nerve cells in the brain Slows the natural nerve cell deterioration associated with aging, possible preventive of Alzheimer’s The area of the brain affected the most after exercise (pre-frontal cortex) controls executive function, or decision making, allowing the individual to think about a decision before acting on it. This is a function that students with ADHD symptoms have a very difficult time controlling.