Keeping Kids Active

Original Air Date: Thursday, October 11, 2012

Is exercise in front of the television as effective as going out to play? A special Health Panel debates what’s more important when it comes to a child’s health: diet or exercise.

We visit a school which kick starts its day with twenty minutes of physical activity.  The Spark program at Calgary Catholic Schools is just one of the initiatives designed to get kids up and exercising. But is it enough? A new study in the British Medical Journal says too much exercise makes a child lethargic at other times in the day; and some pediatricians say only a balanced diet will help children keep healthy

Our Health Panel tonight is comprised of
Dr. David Chorney, Assistant Professor in Physical Education at the University of Alberta; Brian Torrance, Director of Ever Active Schools, a program that supports healthy and active school communities; and Dr. Peter Nieman, a Pediatrician who works in Calgary’s Pediatric Weight Clinic.