Both reports recommend creating traffic-free areas for safe play outside the home, like environments where walking and cycling can become common, and extensive sports and recreation facilities at schools. Schools can not only offer physical activity but also educate students about its importance. Studies show that nearly half of all high school students are not enrolled in physical education at all. The CDC report encourages quality, daily physical education classes as well as after-school programs to add activities to daily life. Parents should look at the total amount of time a child spends on television or video games.
Studies consistently show that as television time increases, so does the tendency for overweight.
One study found that children who watched more than five hours of TV a day had a five-times greater chance of being overweight than those who watched two hours or less. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to take control and limit their children's television to no more than one to two hours a day. Parents also play an important role as they demonstrate a healthy activity level in their own lives. Instead of sending their kids out to play, they can take them out and play together. If parent-child leisure activity revolves around eating and watching entertainment or sports events, something needs to change.