Benefits and Risks of Exercise to the Youth - Essay Example

"Benefits and Risks of Exercise to the Youth" is a great example of a paper on fitness and exersice. Exercise is the key to general developmental wellbeing and a vital health maintenance strategy for youth, especially children and adolescents. It has been credited with improved physical fitness, body composition, coordination, lipids profile, body strength, self-discipline as well as self-esteem and enables children to learn the importance of teambuilding. Children should thus be involved in age-appropriate physical exercises, prescribed and competently supervised to offer required health and fitness value for optimal growth and development (Shephard, 1999, p.960)

 Metabolic benefits accrued from exercise are weight control-related. Regular exercise increases muscle ability to burn fat more efficiently and mobilization of fatty acids into the bloodstream from fat deposits. This also reduces triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol (Malina, 2006, p.480). This is an effective weight loss strategy that has been known to help with self-esteem and socialization as well as reduced risks of overweight, such as hypertension, growth hormone dysregulation, and respiratory and orthopedic problems.

Exercise and physical activity are essential for bone building as it increases bone mineral density. This lowers the risk of osteoporosis at later ages. Musculoskeletal development is also attributed to regular exercise with increases in the strength and size of muscle fibers, ligaments, and tendons, resulting in strength and endurance.

Exercise is very beneficial to the mental health of children. It is credited to reduced anxiety and depression with increased self-esteem and a child’s self-image. By improving motor performance skills, exercise enhances co-ordination (LaMonte, 2000)

 Exercise improves cardiac function thus reducing blood pressure as more blood is pumped with every heartbeat. The respiratory functions are enhanced with improved lung capacity as blood flow to the lungs. This is crucial in reducing cardiovascular diseases, especially in adulthood as the risks could be present earlier in life.

The risk associated with exercise is accidents that could cause injuries. This calls for close and competent supervision with appropriate instructions and designed programs, with an aim to reduce inherent risks associated with physical exercises.

     The benefits of physical exercises by far outweigh the risks and thus when done correctly, improve the general health and strength of children. This is important, especially for optimal growth and development.

Weight training can be incorporated into the exercise program for children under supervision just to avoid accidents and facilitate proper training. This is due to the possibility of straining with weights that are too heavy and poor lifting techniques which could cause injury. Thus the major concern especially with children is safety, proper technique, as well as the right weight selection. It thus can be recommended for preteens and adolescents for strength training to achieve physical wellness and enhance performance (Dattoli, 2010)

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