This press release was provided by 1 Hour a Day. The Club Industry editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content.
1 Hour a Day, an organization promoting the importance of physical activity, exercise and health for our nation’s youth, is garnering attention from parents, educators and the professional fitness industry alike with a very important message: Skinny kids need exercise, too.
While the focus for children’s health has been on obesity for years, research shows us that all children, regardless of their weight, need an hour of physical exercise every single day. Not only will this simple one hour a day of exercise in school address the ever-present issue of obesity, but it will provide America’s children with the many other important benefits of fitness, including:
- Improve their children’s academic achievement,
- Reduce disciplinary issues in school and at home,
- Reduce depression, stress and suicides
- Improve self esteem reducing and susceptibility to bullying.
- Children who exercise an hour a day, make better food choices
- Will reduce the risk of addictive behaviors like smoking, alcohol or drug abuse.
- Improve their fitness and physical skill levels
- Develop healthy and productive citizens in our society
- Address the obesity epidemic in our country
- Reduce the strain on Americas medical system
- Healthy children will influence their parents, an indirect method of getting adult American's healthy too.
Just one hour a day of fun and functional exercise will prepare this growing generation to be healthy and productive members of society and lower our nation’s health care expenses, now and in the future.
1 Hour a Day is spearheaded by Lee Spieker, founder and CEO of Railyard Fitness in Denver, Colorado. “As a professional in the fitness industry, I support my industry’s efforts to promote exercise in physical education or in our local classrooms,” says Spieker. “1 Hour a Day does not need to cost a penny, and it can be easily accomplished right it the classroom.” Spieker explains that, if teachers provide students with “Brain Breaks,” or brief periods of exercise in the classroom between lessons, an hour of highly beneficial fitness adds up quickly and is easy to implement. Not only is it simple and fun for kids of all ages, but it also adds variety to their day, helping them focus during class.
As Spieker and 1 Hour a Day continue to demonstrate, the importance and benefits of teaching this type of healthy lifestyle at a young age is absolutely essential. “I encourage parents and concerned citizens to ask their schools administrators to implement 1 Hour a Day in every school today,” says Spieker. “Just one hour—that’s all it takes to make a difference.”
For additional information and research supporting 1 Hour a Day, please visit: www.1houraday.org