Four reasons to focus on family health and fitness
November 30th, 2019
Many people think about ways to stay physically fit as individuals. But what about creating a health and fitness plan for the entire family?Much like having a regular family dinner, scheduling time for physical activity and health maintenance brings families closer together and improves their overall well-being.
'Exercise has health benefits for all ages,' says Mark Jones from Well Adjusted Health a family-based Chiropractors based in Ashington. 'For older adults, exercise prevents falls and helps maintain independent living. For children, it increases socialisation and self-esteem, and now evidence is pointing towards improving grades in exams too. And for everyone, it improves cognition, wards off anxiety and depression, and improves sleep.'
Here are four reasons to prioritise family health and fitness this winter:
• It reduces your risk for chronic health conditions:
According to research, staying active reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, dementia and breast, bladder and colon cancer. Regular exercise also helps shed excess weight.
• It helps parents serve as good role models:
When children see their parents getting more active, they're more likely to follow suit.
• It's a great time to make a change:
As families get into the school year groove, they develop a routine. 'Adding exercise to that routine will help you keep fitness a family priority all year long,' Mark Jones comments.
• It's easy and fun:
Start simply. Play a game of football in the garden. Walk to school or the bus stop instead of driving. Take a family bike ride. Struggling to get started? Take an online quiz that asks about your exercise style. When your family finds an activity they like to do, they'll stick with it.
Daily exercise can boost children's exam grades – new research:
We all know now that exercise can help to improve kids sense of self and have a positive impact on their mental health and well-being. But it's less well known that being fit and active can also help to boost children's academic performance.
A recent review of primary school children from Stoke-on-Trent, shows that children who are more active perform better in key stage one results in reading, writing and mathematics than less active children—achieving grades that were either average or above average for each subject.
They also looked at how the children's weight and height changed over the school year. All the children gained weight, but less active children appeared to gain weight at a steeper rate than active children. This may mean these children-who currently have a normal weight and body mass may be at risk of becoming overweight or obese in the future.
Not enough exercise:
A report from Sport England shows that children who enjoy exercise, have confidence in their physical abilities and understand why exercise is important, are more likely to be active regularly. The same report also shows that these children do, on average, twice as much physical activity compared with children who don't enjoy sport and exercise.
The Department of Health recommends children do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day—but many children fail to meet these recommendations. This is in keeping with national figures that show only 17.5% of English, 38% of Scottish and 51% of Welsh and 12% of Northern Irish children meet the recommended minimum exercise levels.
But inactivity is not just a problem in the UK. Levels of childhood physical activity have recently been described as a global crisis by the World Health Organisation. Increasing urbanisation, changing patterns in transport, increased use of technology and high levels of poverty are considered to be reasons for the decline.
Given that the research shows the impact physical activity can have it's clear that children need to be encouraged to be active and given time to play regularly at home, in school and in the local community. And to have this focus within the family environment is obviously setting them up for more than just good healthy habits later on in life!
If you have a specific question regarding any pain or problem areas, or would like to book a Free 15 minute consultation for you or your family please call
Well Adjusted Health on 01903 892171
If you would like a check or to discuss how we may be able to help you call us for a FREE no obligation 15-minute assessment.
We are all in the habit of 6 monthly checks at the dentist but how many of us look after our spinal health?
'Exercise has health benefits for all ages,' says Mark Jones from Well Adjusted Health a family-based Chiropractors based in Ashington. 'For older adults, exercise prevents falls and helps maintain independent living. For children, it increases socialisation and self-esteem, and now evidence is pointing towards improving grades in exams too. And for everyone, it improves cognition, wards off anxiety and depression, and improves sleep.'
Here are four reasons to prioritise family health and fitness this winter:
• It reduces your risk for chronic health conditions:
According to research, staying active reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, dementia and breast, bladder and colon cancer. Regular exercise also helps shed excess weight.
• It helps parents serve as good role models:
When children see their parents getting more active, they're more likely to follow suit.
• It's a great time to make a change:
As families get into the school year groove, they develop a routine. 'Adding exercise to that routine will help you keep fitness a family priority all year long,' Mark Jones comments.
• It's easy and fun:
Start simply. Play a game of football in the garden. Walk to school or the bus stop instead of driving. Take a family bike ride. Struggling to get started? Take an online quiz that asks about your exercise style. When your family finds an activity they like to do, they'll stick with it.
Daily exercise can boost children's exam grades – new research:
We all know now that exercise can help to improve kids sense of self and have a positive impact on their mental health and well-being. But it's less well known that being fit and active can also help to boost children's academic performance.
A recent review of primary school children from Stoke-on-Trent, shows that children who are more active perform better in key stage one results in reading, writing and mathematics than less active children—achieving grades that were either average or above average for each subject.
They also looked at how the children's weight and height changed over the school year. All the children gained weight, but less active children appeared to gain weight at a steeper rate than active children. This may mean these children-who currently have a normal weight and body mass may be at risk of becoming overweight or obese in the future.
Not enough exercise:
A report from Sport England shows that children who enjoy exercise, have confidence in their physical abilities and understand why exercise is important, are more likely to be active regularly. The same report also shows that these children do, on average, twice as much physical activity compared with children who don't enjoy sport and exercise.
The Department of Health recommends children do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day—but many children fail to meet these recommendations. This is in keeping with national figures that show only 17.5% of English, 38% of Scottish and 51% of Welsh and 12% of Northern Irish children meet the recommended minimum exercise levels.
But inactivity is not just a problem in the UK. Levels of childhood physical activity have recently been described as a global crisis by the World Health Organisation. Increasing urbanisation, changing patterns in transport, increased use of technology and high levels of poverty are considered to be reasons for the decline.
Given that the research shows the impact physical activity can have it's clear that children need to be encouraged to be active and given time to play regularly at home, in school and in the local community. And to have this focus within the family environment is obviously setting them up for more than just good healthy habits later on in life!
If you have a specific question regarding any pain or problem areas, or would like to book a Free 15 minute consultation for you or your family please call
Well Adjusted Health on 01903 892171
If you would like a check or to discuss how we may be able to help you call us for a FREE no obligation 15-minute assessment.
We are all in the habit of 6 monthly checks at the dentist but how many of us look after our spinal health?
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