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. 2016 Jul 8;11(2):96-115.
doi: 10.1177/1559827615594585. eCollection 2017 Mar-Apr.

The Case for Vigorous Physical Activity in Youth

Scott Owens  1   2   3 , Riley Galloway  1   2   3 , Bernard Gutin  1   2   3
Affiliations

The Case for Vigorous Physical Activity in Youth

Scott Owens et al. Am J Lifestyle Med. .

Abstract

Although it is widely recognized that regular physical activity is associated with a variety of health-related benefits in youths, the extent to which vigorous physical activity, as opposed to moderate or light physical activity, may be especially beneficial for youths is not completely understood. This review will examine the evidence for the efficacy of vigorous physical activity for promoting the well-being of youths as indicated by body composition, physical fitness, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and cognitive function. Potential caveats associated with the promotion of vigorous physical activity among youths will also be discussed, as will the inclusion of vigorous physical activity in current recommendations by national organizations for physical activity among youths.

Keywords: cardiometabolic risk; children; physical activity intensity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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