Activate Your Life

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that children and teens should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most—and preferably all—days of the week.

Activities can include:

• Walking,
• Biking,
• Swimming,
• Playing outdoors,
• Running,
• Soccer,
• Basketball, and
• Doing active chores like vacuuming sweeping and raking.

Active, healthy lifestyles can also help:

• Improve children’s self-confidence
• Promote a healthy weight
• Build strong bones and strengthen muscles
• Promote good posture and balance
• Maintain flexibility
• Establish good sleep patterns