March 16, 2021

Fitness for life

By Rob Wilkins
Media
Fitness for life
Rob Wilkins, Air Force veteran, American Legion member and representative of the President’s Council on Fitness, with his son Robert Wilkins, 13. Photo by Mike Kepka

The surge in childhood obesity is a national security issue. The American Legion’s 100 Miles for Hope challenge can help get kids active.

There is a new and emerging threat faced by the U.S. military. It is not a foreign enemy that seeks to attack our democracy. Nor is it related to the political vitriol that has recently engulfed our nation.

This enemy lives within our borders. Its threat is passive, rather than active, like a terrorist would be. Yet it’s just as dangerous.

I’m talking about the escalating number of youths who are overweight or obese and unfit to serve our nation in uniform. In the early 1970s, 15.4 percent of Americans 2 to 19 were classified as overweight or obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Data from 2017-2018 show that number has increased to 35.4 percent.

According to a 2013 report from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) titled “Obesity and the US Military Family,” the prevalence of overweight (youth) “poses a threat to national security. Twenty-seven percent of American young adults between the ages of 17 and 24 (approximately 9 million potential recruits) are too overweight to serve.”

Fewer potential servicemembers burdens military branches in their recruiting efforts.

“Over the last decade, we have experienced increasing difficulty in recruiting soldiers due to the decline in the health of our nation’s youth,” said retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling. “Unless we see significant change in physical activity and nutrition in America, our national security will be affected.”

There are many causes for the decline in physical activity among the nation’s youth. Fewer kids walk or bike to school. Meanwhile, they are spending more time focused on screens, playing video games and using social media. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that children 8 to 10 spend an average of six hours per day in front of a screen. For those 11 to 14, the daily average is nine hours a day, and for 15- to 18-year-olds, it’s an average of seven and a half hours per day.

That adds up to far less time running, bicycling and other forms of exercise.

April, which is American Legion Children & Youth Month, is a great time to engage children and grandchildren in physical activities. That’s why, on April 1, The American Legion will kick off its second annual 100 Miles for Hope, a campaign to promote activity amid the pandemic and raise funds for its Veterans & Children Foundation (V&CF).

This year, participants are challenged to complete a total of 100 activities lasting at least 30 minutes. There are more than 40 from which to choose, including walking, running, cycling, swimming, rucking, yoga and even pickleball. There are two options to register, which you can do now.

  • If you would like to track your activities, you can download an app to gauge your progress. Download the Kilter app to register
  • For those who do not have a smart phone or want to register multiple family members, registration can be completed on The American Legion's Emblem Sales web page. Visit this page to register.


Regardless of which option you choose, it's only a $20 registration fee and each participant receives a medal.

Participants can also support the V&CF by purchasing brand-new 100 Miles gear through Emblem Sales, such as tech shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, pins, patches and more.

The solutions

The combination of expanding waistlines and decreasing physical activity is shrinking the pool of healthy young Americans eligible for military service. Even after making it to basic training, lack of physical fitness often leads to young men and women dropping out before completion of their training. That not only costs the military time, but up to $100,000 in recruiting and training costs per dropout.

Over and over, research has proven that being physically active provides a variety of health benefits, such as a reduction in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, improvement in mood, strengthened bones and greater self-esteem. Exercise also offers mental health benefits. It’s an excellent outlet for children to deal with stress and has been shown to reduce the risk of mood disorders and anxiety.

Physical activity is not just for the young. Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity or current fitness level.

Like adults, children need to be physically active. The American Heart Association suggests children 3 to 5 should be physically active and have plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day. Those between 6 and 17 should get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity, mostly aerobic. Under the supervision of a qualified instructor, muscle- and bone-strengthening (weight-bearing) activities can be added at least three days per week.

Exercise improves aerobic and muscle fitness, reduces the risk of depression and leads to greater academic success for children. Here are a few suggestions to help get them moving:

• Start early. Young children love to play and be active. Encouraging safe and unstructured movement and play can help build a strong foundation for an active lifestyle.

• Exercise with family. Walks, bike rides, living-room yoga sessions or playing catch are just a few examples of how you and those in your household can exercise together.

• Join group activities. Walking, bicycling, jogging or participating in events such as The American Legion’s 100 Miles for Hope are great ways to get much-needed fresh air while still following local and state COVID-19 protocols.

• Exude positivity. Have a positive attitude about the different physical activities in which your children participate, and encourage them to try new ones.

• Be safe. Ensure that desired physical activities are appropriate for the age of your child. Always provide protective equipment (including helmets, wrist pads and knee pads) when riding bicycles or scooters, skateboarding, roller skating, climbing rock walls and participating in other activities where there may be a high risk of injury.

Your efforts in promoting fitness to America’s children and youth will not only help them throughout their lives, but will play a key role in developing a strong core of servicemembers for tomorrow’s military. That, in turn, will help keep our nation safe.

 

Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Rob Wilkins serves on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. He is a Paid Up for Life member of American Legion Post 141 in Richmond, Va.

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