The health benefits of our Family Membership options in Shrewsbury

At The Shrewsbury Club, we are committed to promoting a positive, healthy lifestyle for all of our members, whatever age they may be. With so many concerning headlines about the state of childhood health being splashed across the news recently, we are highlighting just how important regular exercise is to help young people maintain a healthy way of life. If you have any questions about our Family Activity Programme, please do call the team on 01743 467755.

The Facts

There are some alarming statistics when it comes to children’s health and fitness. A 2013 study carried out by University College London discovered that half of all 7-year olds in the UK were not doing enough exercise, with only 38% of girls participating in the recommended hour of daily physical activity (1). And this lack of exercise is leading to a rise in significant health problems, particularly regarding weight issues. In fact, research shows that a third of the nation’s children are currently overweight or obese (2).

Unhealthy Lifestyle

The reasons for today’s obesity epidemic are easy access to quick, high-calorie food, as well as more time spent watching TV, surfing the internet and playing computer games… rather than staying active (3). According to the NHS, obesity is generally caused by ‘eating too much and moving too little’ (4). Both diet and exercise play an equally important part in achieving a healthy BMI so, to ensure your child maintains a great quality of life, it’s vital to combine a nutritious, balanced diet, with regular exercise.

How much exercise is recommended for children?

Sport and exercise are not only enjoyable, but fantastic for young people’s general fitness. The NHS recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day for 5-18 year olds to help achieve optimal health (5). This should include moderate-intensity activity, which can be as simple as walking the dog, or cycling to school, as well as more vigorous exercise. The latter should really get your heart racing and your blood pumping – whether it’s a dance class, martial arts, Spin or tennis. All of which are on offer for children at The Shrewsbury Club, of course…!

Health Benefits

We have always encouraged children to take up exercise at an early age - a fantastic way to instil healthy habits for a lifetime. Not only highly effective at burning fat, frequent physical activity strengthens muscles, and regulates blood sugar, as well as blood pressure. It also helps children build and maintain strong bones (5). There’s evidence that exercise in childhood pays off for years to come: research has shown that active children have a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes (6).

There aren’t only physical benefits; furthermore, exercise is incredibly beneficial for emotional wellbeing. Evidence shows that active children benefit from a healthier state of mind, with boosted self-confidence. Taking part in sport from an early age also teaches young people crucial life skills, such as teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership, improving their quality of life in the future (6).

Family Fitness at The Shrewsbury Club

Our new Family Activity Programme has allowed us to create numerous exercise classes tailored to specific age groups. They are the perfect opportunity to meet new people and make new friends, whilst having fun and getting fit. The Shrewsbury Club can now offer even more different sports and activities for children of all ages to try - from tots to teens, the choices are endless. Every week, our expert instructors lead an abundance of various exercise classes and sports sessions, including Bootcamp, Jiu Jitsu, Family Spin, Cardio Tennis and Family Gym just to name a few. All this plus more chilled activities such as Crafty Cooks and Film Nights.

Our family memberships ensure that everyone is involved when it comes to staying active – at the end of the day, it’s easier if we all do it together!

 

1. Triggle, N. (2013) Children need more exercise – Health, BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23778945 Accessed: 9^th September 2015
2. King’s College London (2015) A third of children in England are overweight/obese http://www.kcl.ac.uk/newsevents/news/newsrecords/2015/January/A-third-of-children-in-England-are-overweightobese.aspx Accessed: 9^th September 2015
3. Kids Health (2015) Overweight and Obesity http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html Accessed: 9^th September 2015
4. NHS (2015) Obesity – Causes http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx Accessed: 9^th September 2015
5. NHS (2015) Physical activity guidelines for children and young people http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-young-people.aspx#moderate Accessed: 9^th September 2015
6. Get Active (2015) Benefits of Exercise for Children http://www.getactivesports.com/benefits-of-exercise-for-children/ Accessed: 9^th September 2015