Report: Institute of Medicine on Getting 60 Minutes of Activity for Students

Share On Social!

A report and infographic from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) shows the mental, physical, and academic benefits of students receiving 60 minutes of physical activity per day. The IOM report says that even with busy schedules, youth can get 60 minutes of physical activity per day through taking advantage of active transportation to and from school, classroom activity time and brain breaks, recess with free play and engaging equipment, physical education class,  after-school programs, and intra and extramural sports.

Physical Education classes are a big contribution to the amount of active play students have in their school day, but have been pushed aside due to financial and academic pressures in recent years. IOM suggest that PE classes need to be a priority and should include a variety of sports, safe equipment, movement for the full class period, and teachers who are certified in physical education.

Getting regular physical activity promote health and growth in youth, and benefits their physical, mental, and cognitive health. The IOM infographic displays the ways schools can incorporate data and suggestions from their new report Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School in an engaging and interactive way.

These solutions are particularly relevant to Latino youth because they are less likely to get the recommended 60 minutes of activity than other students. This is due to the fact that largely Latino schools tend to offer fewer programs for physical activity due to lack of resources. By incorporating the suggestions and solutions from the Institute of Medicine can give all students the opportunity to get at least 60 minutes of active play time into their days.

For more information and other resources from the report—including an animated video, myths and realities sheet, and action guide—visit the Institute of Medicine for their full research report