Physical Activity for Youth 
Regular physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle; it can play a powerful role in preventing chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke. It also builds strong bones and muscles, can increase physical fitness, may reduce anxiety and depression, and promotes positive mental health.1 Providing regular opportunities for youth to participate in physical activity will help them establish healthy lifestyles that can prevent these diseases in the future. 

Physical Activity, Fitness, and Exercise Defined

Physical activity: Any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure (e.g., walking, taking the stairs).

Health-related fitness: Measure of a person’s ability to perform physical activities requiring endurance, strength, and flexibility. Components of health-related fitness include: cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition.

Exercise: Any physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive, for the purpose of improving or maintaining one or more components of fitness. 

Benefits of Physical Activity for Youth 
Participation in regular physical activity produces multiple physical and mental health benefits. For youth, regular physical activity participation: 

• Builds healthy bones and muscles.
• Decreases the likelihood of obesity and disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.
• Reduces anxiety and depression and promotes positive mental health. 

National Guidelines for Youth Physical Activity 
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued physical activity guidelines for Americans, ages 6 and older. These guidelines include the following recommendations for youth:

• Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily.
• Aerobic Activities: Most of the 60 or more minutes per day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Vigorous-intensity physical activity should be included at least 3 days per week.
• Muscle-strengthening Activities: Include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week as part of the 60 or more minutes.
• Bone-strengthening Activities: Include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week as part of the 60 or more minutes.
• Activities should be age-appropriate, enjoyable, and offer variety.