Research shows Chicago teens exercise less than teens statewide

February 15, 2010 - A new study by Children's Memorial Research Center finds less than one-third of Chicago teens exercise, compared to the Illinois average of slightly less than half.  As a result, researchers fear Chicago’s youth could be at risk for chronic illness as adults.

The research, conducted by Jenifer Cartland, PhD, director of the research center’s Child Health Data Lab, and Tracie L. Smith, MPH, Child Health Data Lab, reveals the percentage of Chicago teens participating in the amount of physical activity recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is strikingly low. The CDC recommends a number of activities including running or walking 60 minutes a day to improve one’s bone strength, reduce fat, maintain weight and increase mental health. 

 “It’s troubling,” said Maryann Mason, associate director of the Child Health Data Lab and a consultant for the study. “Healthy behaviors are learned and reinforced when people are young. So if they are at this level when they are young what does that say about the future?”

Teens in the Chicago Public School (CPS) system were surveyed about the time they spent on the computer, watching television and in physical education class. Those numbers were compared to the national average. Data revealed that the percent of teens meeting the recommended levels of physical activity dropped dramatically as a student ages. While 41 percent of CPS ninth graders were getting the recommended amount of physical activity only 19 percent of twelfth graders were meeting the recommended daily requirements. This number is significantly lower than Illinois students overall, where 42 percent of twelfth graders meet the daily requirements for physician activity.

Research also confirms the national statistic that African-American youth spend more time watching television a day, compared to other racial and ethnic groups, and also have the highest rate of computer use of three or more hours a day. Although the research provided numerical statistics measuring the hours of sedentary activity, the question of why certain ethnic groups are more prone to an inactive lifestyle was not answered.

“It would be interesting to better understand the reasons why there is variation by race and ethnicity, especially by African Americans,” said Mason. “With a better understanding of the contributing factors, there are things that could be done to help support behavior change over time.”

Children's Memorial’s Child Health Data Lab focuses on bringing together scholars and institutional collaborators such as the Illinois Department of Public health to develop and promote evidence-based practices to address health risks to their communities. 

For more information about the research or to learn more about childhood obesity and exercise visit Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children www.clocc.net, Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance www.iahdperd.org, or Illinois Action for Healthy Kids www.actionforhealthykids.org.