America's children are frequently diagnosed with depression and prescribed anti-depressant medication... because they don't exercise enough.
Now you might have gone, wait, what does obesity have to do with depression? It has a lot to do with it actually. There has been a lot of health research done linking a variety of hormonal problems with obesity and depression, often creating a vicious cycle wherein the obese person eats comfort food whenever they are sad, which increases their weight and simultaneously the hormones which are making them feel depressed.
In contrast exercise is a natural anti-depressant.
So it stands to reason that if America's parents want their kids to be happy and healthy they need to get their kids involved in after-school sports and summer activities that will keep them active, engaged and having fun.
Now not all kids are cut out for baseball, basketball, soccer or football. Or hockey if you live in Canada. But there are plenty of other sports out there available for children which encourage weight loss while having fun.
#2. Boxing - Makes for a really cardio exercise, which can really shed the fat.
#3. Martial Arts - Lots of cardio and encourages mental discipline.
#4. Bicycling - Including downhill, rally, BMX and more.
#5. Bowling - Not exactly known for its benefits as a weighlifting exercise. Its basically a bit like shotput with a target.
#6. Cheerleading - Yes, it counts as a competitive sport. Gymnastics in general.
#7. Ballet / Dance - Very good cardio and also improves balance and coordination.
#8. Diving / Swimming - Good cardio and resistance training simultaneously.
#9. Fencing - Who doesn't love a good swordfight?
#10. Lacrosse - A brutal game at times, but definitely high in cardio.
#11. Rowing - Racing rowboats? Huzzah. That does sound like fun.
#12. Rugby - Like football, but without all the padding.
#13. Skating - If you have an ice rink handy nearby this makes for good cardio - plus the cold burns extra calories and forces you to move around more to stay warm.
#14. Skiing - Whether its downhill or cross country skiing makes for good cardio.
#15. Tennis - Want to sweat? Tennis will get you breathing and sweating hard.
#16. Wrestling - Olympic wrestling combines speed and strength to try and pin your opponent. Size is an advantage in this particular sport.
So there is really no shortage of sports out there for kids to enjoy if their parents make the effort to enroll them in such activities. The exercise and fun they have will boost their self-confidence and reduce any feelings of depression. Given time the weight will disappear, but they have to stick with it.
Many kids quit sports because they feel they aren't cut out for it physically or feel uncomfortable in a team sport environment. That is why other sports like archery and boxing work better for some children because they have to learn self-reliance and patience instead, but also benefit from a less stressful atmosphere because they can do such sports for fun instead of for competitions.
Note - The above list of sports is equally good for adults who want to lose weight and have fun doing so.
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