Why moving matters - Staying active has numerous, important benefits.

A recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation named Tennessee the fourth-worst state for childhood obesity. According to an article by Nickelle Smith of WKRN news, 20.4 percent of children ages 10 to 17 in Tennessee are obese.
According to the CDC, compared to those who ae inactive, physically active youth have higher levels of fitness, lower body fat, and stronger bones and muscles.
Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence can also be important for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing risk factors for various health conditions like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Physical activity is a natural way to prevent the negative consequences of stress because it can ward off the ill effects of chronic stress and actually reverse them. In addition, studies show people who add physical activity to their lives become more socially active, which boosts confidence and helps establish and maintain social connections
outcome.
Spark points out that the majority of studies show aerobic exercise significantly reduces symptoms of anxiety disorders. Dr. Ratey points out that exercise reroutes the brain's circuits, reduces muscle tension, and teaches a different outcome to an anxiety-provoking situation, ultimately setting an anxious person free from their worrisome tendencies.

After walking on a treadmill for 20 minutes at a moderate pace, children responded to test questions (in the content areas of reading, spelling, and arithmetic) with greater accuracy, and had a more intense response within the brain, than children who had been sitting. Further, children who walked for 20 minutes performed better on reading comprehension than those who sat for a similar length of time. Following physical activity, children also completed learning tasks faster and more accurately, and were more likely to read above their grade level.
The Naperville, Illinois district implemented an early morning exercise program called Zero Hour, which sought to determine whether working out before school gives students a boost in their reading ability and other subjects. Since introducing this program, the district has seen remarkable results in both wellness and academic performance. More on this AMAZING story

Between 2015 and 2016, obesity for kids between the ages of two and five years old increased from nine to fourteen percent, the highest increase since 1999. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the health of children and families in many ways, including that it may increase the likelihood of unhealthy weight gain among children as many families are forced to shift to less costly, high-calorie foods rather than fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.
Many are concerned on how COVID-19’s impact on the economy will factor into childhood obesity. Many children were forced to stay home from school due to the pandemic, which is where they had access to healthy food and physical activities.