Sedentary Lifestyle on Children’s Health and Academic Performance (Essay Sample)

Impact of Sedentary Lifestyle on Children’s Health and Academic Performance
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Impact of Sedentary Lifestyle on Children’s Health and Academic Performance
Physical education is crucial for the social, emotional, and psychological development of children. The provision of adequate physical education for children in their school setting is essential for healthy growth and high academic performance. Nevertheless, the increased permeation of the sedentary lifestyle in schools has replaced physical activities and exercises (Beauchamp, Rhodes &Nigg 2016). Though some sedentary activities are beneficial to the cognitive growth of children, the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle in the US elementary schools affects the health and the academic performance of young children.
Sedentary lifestyles have a significant impact on the health of young children. Current studies observe that more than 58% of children aged between 6-11 years old do not meet the international guidelines for daily physical activities (Gao, Chen, Sun, Wen & Xiang, 2018). The lack of physical activities and exercises among school-going children is attributed to the high incidences of physical inactivity-related diseases such as diabetes, depressions, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancers.
The rise of the sedentary lifestyle in US elementary schools has a significant negative effect on the academic performance of school-going children. Numerous studies show that a positive correlation exists between the level of physical education and academic performance among school-going children (Katzmarzyk et al., 2016). The sedentary time spent on activities such as computer games, movies, and Internet affect the reading, comprehension, and the analytical skills of young children. In conclusion, the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles in elementary schools has a significant ramification on the health and the academic performance of young children. Children who are exposed to prolonged sedentary activities are more likely to experience difficulties reading and understanding instructions. Similarly, such children are susceptible to lifestyle diseases such as obesity, overweight, and cancer.
References
Beauchamp, M., Rhodes, R., & Nigg, C. (2016). Physical activity for children in elementary school