This Should Play Well, and Not Just in Peoria

Maybe Mom was just in need of a break from your antics, or maybe she did have your best interests in mind when she'd instruct you, from the other room, to shut off the TV and go outside and play.

But leave it to the experts to once again prove that Mom was right: The fresh air and exercise is good for you — not only now, but later in life as well. A study coming out of the University of Iowa finds that children who are active at age 5 are more likely to be lean and remain that way later in childhood, even if their level of activity drops off.

The research team likens it to a banking account — putting the effort in early now pays dividends later. And while uncovering the precise mechanisms for these benefits require additional investigation — metabolic processes and diminished fat cell development are floated as possibilities— the study is clear that a consistent level of active play in early childhood sets kids up for staying at a healthy weight as they enter adolescence.

An associated finding within the study involves a gender gap. The test population of 333 children who were subjected to tests at ages 5, 8 and 11 indicated that boys appeared more likely to receive the long-term benefits than girls.

This too is a matter for additional inquiry, but may be tied to assignment of gender roles and expectations still kicking around — boys simply may be expected to get covered in dirt and run around like mad banshees, while girls may still be discouraged from doing so.

Photo courtesy of foundphotoslj, via Flickr.