The Importance of Physical Fitness for High School Students

In today's fast-paced world that encourages meals on the go and other unhealthy habits, the benefits of physical fitness are more important than ever. Developing an interest in staying fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are behaviors that can be learned early in life and carried with you into adulthood. As a teenager, physical fitness is a critical aspect of personal development, mental health and physical health. The importance of these benefits cannot be denied.

Physical Importance

• Participating in regular physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day as a teenager not only improves strength and endurance, making you feel less tired, but it can also build healthy bones and muscles, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and help you control your weight. Maintaining a healthy weight significantly decreases your chances of developing health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. According to a 2011 article in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine," avoiding obesity as a teenager can help you avoid obesity as an adult.

Emotional Importance

• Not only does physical fitness promote a healthy body, but it also promotes a healthy mind. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which help make you feel calm and happy. This calm mental state can carry over into other aspects of your life, helping you sleep better and relieving feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Being fit can instill confidence that comes from knowing you pushed yourself to your physical limit.

Mental Importance

• Physical activity can even have an impact on academic performance and behavior. According to the Centers for Disease Control, improved classroom behavior and enhanced concentration are both benefits of staying physically fit. Research done by Active Living has shown that an emphasis on physical education in schools can improve scores on standardized tests and improve grades. This research also shows that physical activity is directly related to drop-out rates, absenteeism and the ability to connect with peers.

Social Importance

• In most cases, overweight teenagers remain overweight as adults. A poll conducted in 2012 by U.S. News and World Report showed that many overweight Americans struggle with discrimination. Fifty-two percent of obese and morbidly obese people felt that they had been discriminated against when applying for jobs while another 36 percent felt that they had been discriminated against at restaurants, theaters and airports. This means that there are not only physical, mental and emotional benefits to being physically fit, but social benefits as well.