PSY FPX 6030 Assessment 3 Lack of Physical Activity: The Impact on Adolescent Health

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 6030 Adolescent Psychology

Prof. Name

Date

Introduction

Despite recommendations from the American Heart Association for adolescents to engage in 60 minutes of daily exercise, merely a quarter of them meet this target. The ramifications for adolescent health are profound, influenced by factors such as location, available resources, and socioeconomic status. Public schools possess the potential to address this issue by augmenting physical activity initiatives while maintaining academic standards through innovative, cost-effective, and practical approaches. It’s imperative to implement diverse strategies to engage students who haven’t flourished with traditional methods or organized sports. Elevating physical activity not only enhances physical health but also fosters autonomy, self-identity, executive function skills, social abilities, self-regulation, and mental well-being among adolescents.

Negative Impacts on Adolescent Health

The dearth of regular exercise during adolescence correlates with numerous health concerns, including heightened risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity, and diminished fitness levels. Furthermore, inadequate physical activity negatively correlates with gray matter volume in the brain, potentially leading to cognitive impairments (Kokubun et al., 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue, with a significant decline in moderate to vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10-14 (Nagata et al., 2022).

Addressing Physical Activity Decline in Schools

While elementary schools typically mandate recess and physical education (P.E.) classes, the emphasis diminishes in adolescence, with fewer compulsory recess periods and elective P.E. classes. Alarmingly, nearly half of American teenage students do not participate in any P.E. classes per week, and only slightly more than half are active in at least one sports team (Zimlich, 2018). This decline in physical activity is particularly pronounced in low-income communities and among racial and ethnic minorities, underscoring the need for targeted interventions (Fessler et al., 2014; Nagata et al., 2022).

Integrating Academics with Physical Activity

Integrating academics with physical activity offers a promising approach to addressing the lack of exercise among adolescents. Regular physical activity not only enhances physical health but also positively impacts mental well-being, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety while bolstering executive function skills and academic achievement (Jarbin et al., 2021; Hilton et al., 2020). Given the substantial time adolescents spend at school, educational institutions serve as ideal settings to promote physical activity while nurturing cognitive and social development.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the majority of adolescents in America fail to meet recommended levels of physical activity, posing significant health risks. Public schools have a vital role to play in reversing this trend by implementing innovative, research-based strategies to increase physical activity while maintaining academic rigor. By integrating physical activity into the school curriculum, educators can foster not only physical health but also cognitive development, social skills, and mental well-being among adolescents.

References

Fessler, M. M., Selimos, M., Williams, B., & Fessler, K. B. (2014). Barriers to exercise for low-income teens. Journal of Adolescent Health, 54(2), 1-16. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.10.018

Guthold, R., Stevens, G. A., Riley, L. M., & Bull, F. C. (2019). Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolescence Health, 4(1), 23-35. doi:10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2

PSY FPX 6030 Assessment 3 Lack of Physical Activity: The Impact on Adolescent Health

Jarbin, H., Höglund, K., Skarphedinsson, G., & Bremander, A. (2021). Aerobic exercise for adolescent outpatients with persistent major depression: Feasibility and acceptability of moderate to vigorous group exercise in a clinically referred sample. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26(4), 954–967. doi:10.1177/13591045211000782

Lee, K., & Lee, K. (2020). Relationship of friend/parent exercise participation levels and adolescents’ exercise intention/behavior as moderated by action control. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 127(2), 347–366. doi:10.1177/0031512519900058

Shimoga, S. V., Erlyana, E., & Rebello, V. (2019). Associations of social media use with physical activity and sleep adequacy among adolescents: Cross-sectional survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(6), 14290. doi:10.2196/14290

Sibold, J., Edwards, E. M., O’Neil, L., & Close, D. M. (2019). Bullying environment moderates the relationship between exercise and mental health in bullied U.S. children. Journal of School Health, 90(3), 194-199. doi:10.1111/josh.12864

Staiano, A., Kihm, H. S., & Sandoval, P. (2018). The use of competition to elicit vigorous intensity physical activity during children’s exergame play. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 110(3), 39-47. doi:10.14307/JFCS110.3.39

PSY FPX 6030 Assessment 3 Lack of Physical Activity: The Impact on Adolescent Health

Woodforde, J., Alsop, T., Salmon, J., Gomersall, S., & Stylianou, M. (2021). Effects of school based before-school physical activity programmes on children’s physical activity levels, health and learning-related outcomes: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2021-104470