We all know that physical activity and exercise are good for our health, but research has shown that adult survivors of childhood cancer who get regular vigorous exercise have better long-term health and live longer than those who don’t.
Active kids, teens and young adults have better:
- Quality of life
- Heart health
- Lung health
- Bone health
- Attention and memory
- School performance
- Sleep
Active kids, teens and young adults have less:
- Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
- Obesity
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fatigue
There are many different forms of exercise, but most physical activities fall into one of three different categories.
Moderate activity
Moderate activity is defined as activities that make your heart beat a bit faster and you breathe a bit harder.
- Brisk walking
- Water aerobics
- Dancing
- Gardening
- Tennis
- Slow bike riding
Vigorous activity
Vigorous activity pushes your body a little harder and requires more effort. You’ll probably get warm and begin to sweat.
- Hiking uphill
- Running
- Swimming laps
- Aerobic dancing
- Cycling fast
- Jump rope
Muscle- and bone-strengthening activities
These activities are a great addition to any exercise plan or workout, especially when combined with moderate or vigorous activities.
- Light weights
- Resistance training
The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association recommend:
Preschoolers ages 3 to 5 should:
- Get three hours of active play every day.
- Replace sitting activities with play.
Kids and teens ages 6 to 17 should:
- Get 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
- Engage in vigorous activity at least three days each week.
- Do muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least three days each week.
Adults ages 18 and older should:
- Get 150 minutes each week (30 minutes, five days a week) of moderate physical activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a combination of both.
- Do Muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least two days each week.
- Spend less time sitting.
- Start out slow, and don’t try activities that are too hard or not interesting.
- Pick activities you like.
- Find a friend or family member to do activities with.
- Alternate exercises to work different muscles.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk down the hall or march in place when a commercial comes on TV.
- Turn the screen into an exercise machine by watching exercise or activity videos.
- Take a brain break before homework to help with focus.
- Remember that some physical activity is better than none.
- Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Fall 2018 Newsletter “Exercise and Survivorship: How It Helps Your Health”
- Children’s Oncology Group HealthLink “Staying Healthy Through Diet and Physical Activity”
- American Heart Association “Physical Activity Recommendations for Kids”
- National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) specialized programs for individuals with special needs
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