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Physically active kids get into less trouble
Reuters Health (2006-04-05 By Amy Norton) reports on a new study that suggests teenagers who are physically active in any way are less likely than their TV-watching peers to smoke, drink or take other health risks. Researchers found that compared with teens who spent much of their free time in front of the TV, those who were active often had higher self-esteem, better grades and were less prone to risky behavior like taking drugs, smoking, drinking or having sex. The findings, based on a national survey of nearly 12,000 middle and high school students, are published in the journal Pediatrics. That doesn't mean, however, that kids have to be on the football team. The study found that "alternative" activities like skating and skateboarding -- which adults sometimes frown upon -- were also related to better self-esteem and less risk-taking. Not only should parents encourage their kids to engage in the physical activities they enjoy, she said, but schools and communities should also do more to create opportunities for children to be active.
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