An active lifestyle is important for health. Making it habit, however, can be hard for some teens. Certain groups seem to do better than others at making exercise part of their regular routines. Those needing the most improvement, here: girls!
Sarah Armstrong studies human health and behavior at Duke University’s clinical research institute in Durham, N.C. She and her colleagues wanted to better understand how active teens and young adults were. Teens should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends. This might include walking briskly, bicycling or playing a sport. Armstrong’s group wanted to know how many teens met that goal.