Nearly one-third of young people in the United States are considered overweight or obese. Obesity in America has become a crisis among young people, an epidemic that is closely linked to physical activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and adolescents should engage in at least one hour or more of physical activity daily. Unfortunately, an estimated 42% of children ages 6-11 and merely 8% of children ages 12-17 meet daily exercise recommendations. Parents play a major role in influencing their children’s attitudes towards physical activity. Evidence for increasing numbers of overweight and obese youth, combined with the number of youth leading sedentary lifestyles, highlights the importance of understanding how parents can encourage children’s physical activity.
