“游戏让我们得以保持身心健康。”
-- Stuart Brown博士。
多数儿童都喜欢在户外的游乐场上跑、跳、荡秋千和滑滑梯，因为儿童可以从中得到快乐和乐趣。研究发现，户外游戏带给儿童的绝不仅仅是快乐，而是对保持儿童身体健康有重要的作用。
医生及健康专家不断地给大家发出警告—儿童的身体健康状况正在下降。造成儿童身体健康状况下降的原因有很多，包括：越来越多的垃圾食品、含糖饮料、不断增长的快餐射入量、及长时间的静态活动（玩电玩和上网）。据美国疾病防控中心的调查资料，自1980年以来，年轻人体重超标的数量增长了两倍。其中6-19岁的年轻人当中，16%（900多万）被认为体重超标。另外，美国国家健康数据中心的报告显示，小学生中肥胖儿童的比例自1980年以来也翻了一番，从7%上升到了14%。 要控制这个趋势，CDC及其他专业人士建议增加儿童的户外活动水平，减少儿童看电视的时间。需特别指出的是，一项新的研究建议5-16岁的儿童每天至少应该进行1.5小时的身体活动。
户外游戏是儿童进行身体活动的主要形式。医生指出这1.5小时的身体活动儿童不需要通过跑步机或进行正式的体育活动来实现。事实上，儿童需要的只是“能够自由的奔跑并让身体动起来就可以，哪怕是每天进行多次短时间的自由活动。”
虽然儿童在户外游戏时的活动水平有所不同，但几乎可以肯定地说儿童在户外游戏中的活动量和参与程度一定比儿童看电视或玩电玩时的活动量大得多。不同的游乐设施给儿童提供不同难度和程度的活动，所以不同年龄段和不同能力水平的儿童都可以从户外游乐场的游戏中获得身体的健康。研究发现游戏对儿童的健身价值包括以下几个方面：反应能力和行为控制，锻炼儿童肌肉的活动技能，提高儿童的平衡协调能力，让儿童在游戏中学习行走、跑、跳、扔、攀爬、滑滑梯和荡秋千。所有这些游戏都将提高儿童的身体健康水平。研究发现：身体活动更为积极的儿童在血压、胆固醇和胰岛素方面比其他孩子更健康。带孩子去儿童游乐场是我们能为他们提供或跟他们一起参与的最有趣最健康的活动。家长是儿童学习和模仿的榜样。为儿童树立一种健康积极的生活榜样-包括户外游戏-是保持儿童身体健康的第一步。
“Play keeps us fit physically and mentally.” Stuart Brown, M.D. Most kids love to run, jump, swing and climb on outdoor playgrounds because it’s fun. But research shows outdoor play is much more than just fun, it’s necessary to help keep kids physically fit and healthy.
Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly warned about the declining physical health of children, caused by many factors including more junk food and sugary drinks, larger restaurant portions, more fast food consumption, and sedentary activity from playing video games and using computers. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children aged 6-19 years, 16 percent – over 9 million young people – are considered overweight. In addition, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that the percentage of elementary-age children who are considered obese has doubled since 1980, from 7 percent to 14 percent. To combat this epidemic, the CDC and others recommend increased levels of physical activity and reducing the time children spend watching television. Specifically, a new study recommends 1.5 hours of physical activity for children aged 5-16.
Outdoor play is the cornerstone of physical activity for kids. Doctors note that kids don’t have to be running on treadmills or playing sports during that time. In fact, the study says kids “… just need to be able to run around and play physically, even for short bursts of time.”
Although kids’ levels of activity vary when they play outside, they are almost certainly higher than when they watch television or play video games. Different playground equipment lends itself to varying levels of activity, making it easy for kids of all age groups and ability levels to physically benefit from outdoor play on a playground. Research has shown that the physical benefits of play include learning reflexes and movement control, developing fine and gross motor skills, increasing flexibility and balancing skills; learning to walk, run, jump, throw, climb, slide and swing. These activities all lead to improved physical health and fitness. Increased physical activity for children has proven to be effective. Studies show that children who are more physically active are healthier when it comes to blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels. Taking kids to the playground is one of the most fun, and healthy, things you can do for – and with – them. Parents can be the best advocates for physical activity and play. Setting an example of a healthy, active lifestyle – one that includes outdoor play – is the first step toward keeping kids on a path to good physical health.
转自美国IPEMA Voice of Play官方网站 翻译：Cathy Xu
