There are many different benefits to exercising—including physical benefits, mental benefits, emotional benefits, and more. While physical activity is important for everyone, it’s especially vital for children to get active because it helps to teach them healthy habits at a young age. This then makes it more likely that they will remain active and healthy throughout their whole life. In this article, we’ll highlight the 12 main reasons why physical activity is a Miracle Drug for children.
Here Are 12 Benefits of Exercise That Make It a Miracle Drug
1. Reduces Childhood Obesity - Regular physical exercise helps reduce the risk of childhood obesity, which is a major issue in the United States with 1 in 5 kids being obese.
2. Improves Academic Performance - Another benefit of physical activity is that it helps to improve students’ academic performance, cognitive skills and abilities, and overall academic behavior. This can lead to improved test scores and better overall attitudes about learning.
3. Reduces the Risk of Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Disease, and More - Another benefit of exercise that makes it a Miracle Drug for kids is that it helps to reduce the risk of children developing deadly diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and more.
4. Protects Kids and Adults from COVID-19 - Another thing that physical activity does is help boost children’s immune systems, which increases their abilities to fight off illnesses, diseases, and infections like COVID-19.
5. Strengthens Your Bones and Muscles - Strengthening bones and muscles is important as our bodies grow and develop. Exercising regularly helps kids develop strong bones and muscles, ensuring their bodies develop properly and limiting the risk of injury.
6. Boosts Your Energy - Another reason why physical activity is a Miracle Drug for kids is that it helps to boost their energy. This helps them to feel better overall and not be too tired for things like focusing in school and doing homework.
7. Promotes Gender Equality - Physical activity is also beneficial because it promotes gender equality. Playing sports and exercising fosters teamwork, builds leadership, and helps kids learn how to overcome adversity.
8. Reduces Depression - The Miracle Drug of exercise also reduces depression, helping kids to improve their self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and decrease feelings of loneliness.
9. Protects Our National Security - When children regularly exercise, it improves our national security by ensuring we have strong, able individuals who are fit enough to join the military and will be ready to protect our country.
10. Reduces Healthcare Costs - Another reason why physical activity is a Miracle Drug for kids is that it helps to reduce healthcare costs. When children regularly exercise, it’s a form of preventive healthcare since it makes kids healthier, resulting in fewer doctor visits, less medication, and a reduced risk of disease and illness.
11. Leads to More Successful Careers - There’s also a correlation between children who are physically active and those who grow up to have more successful careers. Active kids are more likely to attend college, become successful, and even earn more money.
12. Live Longer, Happier Lives - Regular physical exercise is also considered a Miracle Drug because it can lead to longer, healthier lives. Individuals who get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week can increase their life expectancy by up to 7 years.
At PHIT America Foundation, we believe that physical activity is a Miracle Drug for kids that offers all of these benefits. We also think that physical education teachers have the most important job in America and that PE is a necessity in schools in order to build a healthier future for our children.
We aim to improve the physical and mental health of children all across the United States by providing kids with increased physical activity programs, like our AMPED programs; getting physical education back in schools; and helping children afford to play organized sports. Sign our petition for healthy kids, or visit our website to find out how you can get involved and bring an AMPED program to a school near you! You can also help us get kids active and healthy by donating to us today!
