Home Team Advantage

In my Physical Activity Trends study, I examine the complex set of factors why America's children do not get enough exercise and thus become too fat. Of course, diet also has a lot to do with the epidemic of childhood obesity in my country, but I have focused on lack of exercise. One of the problems is the competitive team sports model for childhood and youth physical activity. There are lots of school and non-school sports teams for children and youth in America. Soccer, baseball and softball are particularly popular. Children who are good enough athletically to make these teams do get enough physical activity; in fact, sometimes they get too much exercise from overusing the same muscles in the same sport with too little time off from play and practice (e.g., rotator cuff injuries from baseball pitching). Children who don't make these teams, or who do make the team but do not play regularly because of the constant pressures to win become discouraged and retreat to inactive pursuits. Simultaneously, recess and physical education programs are being cut back and safety and security concerns have made the primary modes of transport to and from school riding the school bus or being driven in parents' cars.

Momsteam (http://www.momsteam.com) is a group trying to reform children's sports. Today, I learned of and ordered a new book written by Brooke de Lench, Momsteam, Editor in Chief, entitled Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports, and i look forward to reading it. More to follow, when I have done so.

In the meantime, if you are an adult looking for fitness advice for yourself, I suggest Ultimate Fitness: The Quest for Truth About Exercise and Health by Gina Kolata.