Twenty minutes of physical activity per day over three months can reduce the risk of obesity in children, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and can also reduce total body fat.
But 40 minutes of physical activity per day over three months is even better for children, the study also found, reducing more total body fat and the risk of developing obesity-related diseases like Type 2 diabetes and plaque buildup in the arteries.
The study, published last month, is based on data collected on 209 children, between ages 7 and 11, who took part in 15-week courses of exercise.
