Cue the sad trombone. America’s kids ranked 47 out of 50 countries measuring aerobic fitness — a key factor for overall health — in a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. By comparison, Tanzania, Iceland, Estonia, Norway and Japan raced away with the top five slots. The least fit country: Mexico.
Research teams from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the University of North Dakota analyzed data on more than 1.1 million kids aged 9 to 17. Subjects were evaluated using a multi-stage fitness test also known as the “beep” test. How it works: You run back and forth between two points 66 feet apart to synchronized beeps. The point where you can’t reach the line before the beep, that’s your level.
“If all the kids in the world were to line up for a race, the average American child would finish at the [back] of the field,” said Grant Tomkinson, associate professor of kinesiology at UND. “Canada, on the other hand, fared moderately well placing just above middle of the pack.” Authors cited income inequality as a key finding. Countries with a big gap between rich and poor tended to have low fitness levels.
No matter what’s in your wallet, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends that kids ages 6 to 17 spend an hour doing some physical activity daily. Run, bike, swim or play Pokémon Go — they’re all good. Not a bad idea for you to get moving, too, Mom and Dad.
