But we know that 50 percent of adults drop out of fitness classes within the first six months. After two years, few adults are able to adopt the habit of going to fitness classes regularly. Parents and children may be better off developing lifelong interests in activities they can enjoy, such as bicycling, outdoor hiking, golf or active fishing. Nutrition and age also play important roles in a children's fitness levels, Dzewaltowski said. Children's activity levels are tied to diet.
Age also can be a factor in activity levels.
While most kids at the elementary school are active, children tend to become less active by the time they enter middle school or high school. One reason for the lower activity rates at the secondary level, Dzewaltowski said, is that secondary schools often emphasize competitive sports which limit participation to a select few. Prepared by Beth Bohn.