Move Your Bodies

“Where do you think children ages 12 to 16 years get most of their daily physical activity? Sports? Gym class? At home? The answer turns out to be largely dependent on where they live. In a study led by Daniel Rainham, of the Environmental Science Program at Dalhousie University, researchers tracked 380 adolescents for a week, using both accelerometers and GPS. They found that teens who lived in rural areas did, in fact, get most of their recommended one-hour daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at school. However, kids who lived in suburban and urban environments logged most of their active time getting from place to place. And both groups got a fair amount ( 10 to 25 percent) at home.”
 — Here is a speedy summary of a special report The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published online today about the relationship between childhood obesity and geography. First thought: kids work out at home? Second thought: chores probably count. Third thought: oh yeah!