Benefits of Physical Activity in Children

Research Question:
What are the benefits of physical activity in children aged 6 to 17 years?
Thesis statement:
Physical activity in children has various health benefits, including maintenance of an ideal
weight and prevention of diseases such as diabetes.
Scholarly Article 1
Reference:
Sothern, M. S., Loftin, M., Suskind, R. M., Udall, J. N., & Blecker, U. (1999). The health
benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents: implications for chronic disease
prevention. European journal of pediatrics, 158(4), 271-274.
Annotation:
The source is a scholarly journal article. The article was published in the European
Journal of Pediatrics. The article’s thesis is that moderate-intensity exercise helps in the
prevention of diseases in children. The article relies on evidence drawn from the impact of
physical activity on disease chronic disease prevention and the impact of physical activity on the
immune system. Individuals with diabetes benefit a lot from physical activities. A review of
studies indicates that exercise helps in increasing blood flow and boosting glucose delivery.
Glucose metabolism is thus improved with physical activity, and this positively impacts disease
prevention. When children engage in physical activities, their immune system is boosted.

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Physical activity positively impacts the interleukin-2/natural killer cell system. The result that the
immune system is equipped to handle various infections.
The article also highlights the importance of parents discouraging sedentary behavior.
When children and adolescents decrease their sedentary behavior, they are able to experience
many stress-reducing benefits. Children who exercise regularly also experience improved energy
levels as well as enhanced levels of concentration. Mental performance and mood generally
improve with increased levels of physical activity. Psychological problems, including stress in
children, can be eliminated through regular physical activity. However, it is important to ensure
that the exercises do not go beyond the moderate levels. Increased physical activity can result in
stress and other negative psychological symptoms.
The source supports the thesis adequately by analyzing literature written on the same.
The article cites various studies done on the same, and this makes it adequately and fully support
the thesis. The article was published in the year 1999. The article is thus not recent and falls
short of offering information that is up to date. However, the article offers valid insights into the
topic. The article is credible and authoritative. The authors are experienced and accomplished in
the field of disease prevention. The article synthesizes the literature on the topic and hence will
be useful for my research.
Scholarly Article 2
Reference:
Janssen, I., & LeBlanc, A. G. (2010). Systematic review of the health benefits of physical
activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth. International journal of behavioral
nutrition and physical activity, 7(1), 1-16.

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Annotation:
The source is a scholarly journal article. The article’s thesis is that children aged between
5 and 17 years need to exercise regularly owing to the benefits that accrue from regular exercise.
The article supports the thesis by reviewing the literature on exercise and physical activities. The
article also analyzes recommended exercise guidelines and the benefits of following the
recommended guidelines. The literature search was conducted in MEDLINE. Evidence-based
studies were selected and synthesized. The article also adds that the greater, the more a person
exercises, the more the health benefits. However, even the slightest forms of physical exercise
have health benefits for children.
The article adequately supports the thesis. The authors reviewed 118 studies conducted
on the topic. The review draws valid conclusions from the studies. Jasen, one of the authors,
works at the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queens University. The second author
works with the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Queen’s University. The
two authors are experts in their respective fields, which makes the article credible and
authoritative. The article reviews the literature on the importance of physical activity in children.
It synthesizes literature from multiple sources, and this makes it a valuable source of
information.
EBook
Reference:
Flamenbaum, R. K. (2006). Global dimensions of childhood obesity. ProQuest Ebook
Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu
Annotation:

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The source is an Ebook. The thesis of the book is that the world is currently experiencing
an obesity crisis that can only be resolved by ensuring that children engage in physical activity.
The book supports the thesis by analyzing the statistics from different countries on childhood
obesity. The book also analyzes literature on the causes of childhood obesity as well as statistics
on the level of physical activity in children. Another important claim made by the book is that
most parents are not aware of the risks associated with childhood obesity.
The book adequately supports the thesis by using statistics drawn from different regions
in the world. The information presented is not current. However, an analysis of the trends helps
in getting a clear picture of the current situation in relation to child obesity. The book is
authoritative, having been written by an expert. The source helps analyze an important factor
relating to childhood obesity which is one of the risks associated with the lack of physical
activity in children.
Non-Scholarly Sources
CDC. (2021). CDC | Physical Activity | Facts | Healthy Schools. Retrieved 15 March 2021, from
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm
The source is a webpage published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The thesis of the article is physical activity is essential in children. The article states that
there are various benefits of physical activity in children. The article outlines the benefits of
physical activity in reducing the incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes. The article also cites
the importance of physical activity in combatting obesity in children. The article also offers
exercise guidelines for children. It outlines various types of physical activities and the
advantages that they pose to young children.

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The source supports the thesis adequately by referring to facts related to physical activity
in children. The article quotes key figures that relate to physical activity in children. The article
is current and quotes studies undertaken in the year 2017. The article is drawn from a
government website, and this makes it authoritative on my research topic. The article does not
contain any limitations that would interfere with its credibility or authority in regards to the topic
of the benefits of physical exercise in children. The source helps highlight important statistics on
the rate of physical activity in children.
Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. (2021). Physical activity for babies and children:
why and how much. Retrieved 15 March 2021, from
https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/nutrition-fitness/physical-activity/physical-activity-
how-much#physical-activity-why-its-good-for-children-nav-title
The source is a blog article written by Raising Children Network. The thesis of the article
is that parents must ensure that their children engage in regular physical activity owing to the
benefits of physical activity. The article cites the benefits of physical activity in strengthening the
bones, muscles, and lungs. The article also explains the importance of physical activity in
ensuring that children maintain a healthy weight. The article also makes recommendations for
the level of physical activity in children from different age groups. Children who are aged
between one and five years should engage in physical activity for approximately 3 hours daily.
Children who are aged between 5 to 18 years should undertake both moderate and intense
physical exercises.
The source supports the ideas advanced by quoting reputable sources. The information is
current since the blog was published this year. The source is also authoritative since the
organization is concerned with the proper upbringing of children. The only limitation is that the

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source mainly concentrates on Australia. The source will help give the necessary guidelines with
regard to physical activity in children.