Question

Application 7.2: Improving Childhood Fitness

This is a case study of a 12-year-old who is inactive. Students may work in groups to answer the questions posed in the Application but please turn in your own work:

Your friend Christina has a 12-year-old daughter, Addison. Christina is worried about her daughter’s weight and lack of physical activity. Addison does not currently play any sports and prefers to avoid vigorous physical activity. She usually spends her free time in the after-school and evening hours watching TV and/or playing on the computer. Christina is a single mom and works full time; she cannot afford to enroll her daughter in additional after-school extracurricular activities or pay for a personal trainer. She would like you to make some suggestions to help improve her daughter’s overall physical fitness (a secondary goal would be weight loss). What types of physical activity should Addison consider? How often should she exercise to improve her health? How often should she exercise to improve her physical fitness? What precautions should be considered for a 12-year-old girl beginning a resistance training and exercise program?

What are physical activities that would be appropriate to meet her goals?

If Addison does not start to participate in regular exercise, what might she be at risk for?

Why do you think Addison is currently inactive? Think about family, friends, school, etc.

What would be appropriate frequencies, times, durations and types of activity to (a) improve health and (b) improve fitness for Addison?

Are there exercise precautions that would be important for a 12-year-old girl?

Answer 1

Addison is facing a common problem which is becoming more common among Teenagers.They are sometimes sedentary because of lack of motivation and heavy load of work or bad day in the school.Here in her case Mother Christina can spend time in explainig about the illeffects of sedentary life style.

• Health Education should be given related to illeffects sedentary lifestyle like obesity, Poly cystic ovarian syndrome which is again common among over weight females.
• Asthetic(Beauty) need is one of the important need of a teenager.It should be explained to her how over weight can alter her beauty.
• Allowing socialisation is important here.Enabling her to mingle and building healthy relationships with friends and helping them in involving in outdoor games among friends should be encouraged.
• Without criticizing Addison we should encourage her probably a positive reinforcement can be given for example: If she looses weight Mother would reward her with some gifts.
• Motivation is very important.As relaxation Mother and Addison can go for early morning brisk walk for 20 mins listening to music.This will be become a time of communication between mom and daughter too.
• Addison should not be involved in strenuous activity.She can work with her food habits, adequate intake of water, involving in outdoor activities like games with her friends for a hor like playing badminton or shuttle,running,jogging,throwball for an hour everyday,every day 20 mins brisk walking, enouraged with positive reinforcement will surely bring a change in her life style.
• And importantly explaining to her the illeffects of getting addicted to television and playing on the computer.I t might affect her eyesight, gain weight which might cause hormonal diseases and miss out the importance of socialisation among neighbours and friends.