Bethesda, MD – When it comes to exercise for children, something is better than nothing. That is a key takeaway from a recent study from the National Institutes of Health.
As part of the study, researchers separated 28 child participants into two groups. One group remained sedentary for three hours while watching TV, reading or engaging in other non-active behaviors. Another group participated in the same activities but stood up every 30 minutes for three minutes of moderate-intensity walking on a treadmill. The children who walked recorded lower levels of blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acids and C-peptide than those who remained seated.
Researchers found that even a few minutes of activity can help children clear sugar from their bloodstreams and fight against the risk of developing type-2 diabetes and other health problems.
The study was published online Aug. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
