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Hello, I’m Dr. Ian Bartos, part of the Primary Care team at Kaiser Permanente in Northern
California.
Can you remember yourself as a child? Do you see yourself running or playing outside? Well,
the thing is, kids today spend more of their time in front of a TV or computer, rather
than playing sports or being physically active. And that is not good for their health.
Statistics show that nearly 2 out of every 5 Latino children are overweight or obese.
And as they grow older, they will face more obesity-related conditions like heart problems,
high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This can affect their self-esteem and overall
health, and even shorten their lives.
Did you know that kids need 60 minutes of physical activity every day? How can you help
your kids get moving for at least one hour each day?
Make sure that their hearts beat faster and they breathe harder and sweat.
Look for ways to make exercise fun. Find out what your kids like to do and take their lead.
Chase your kids around the park. Bike or walk as a family. Help your kids use their imagination.
Celebrate like you’ve kicked the winning goal. Ask your family and neighbors to take
turns doing activities with the kids. And set activity goals together as a family.
Exercise helps children maintain a healthy weight and grow strong. It helps them feel
good about their bodies. They even do better at school. Kids who are physically active
sleep better and can more easily handle life’s challenges. They’re also less likely to
develop chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes.
For all these reasons, it’s important to be sure your kids are physically active every
day.
Learn more about raising healthy children by stopping by the Health Education Center
at your local Kaiser Permanente facility. Register on kp.org/mydoctor to gain access
to secure features like emailing your doctor. If you prefer to view this and other health
information in Spanish, you can visit our dedicated website.