Dallin Sweet Prof. Bonnie Moore Eng 2010: PRE Nov.

26, 2013 Audience: All families in the U.S. Family Recreation: A Slimming Solution to Big Problems As the sun nears its hiding place behind the mountains, I buckle and pull snug the last strap of my worn, damp life jacket. With a quick jump I am consumed by the refreshingly chilly water and begin the short swim to where my brother lies exhausted, on a near-deflated tube. Using the last of what strength I have left, I pull myself atop the tube at his side and watch as the water rapidly begins to churn ahead of me. Connected by only a thin piece of rope, our tube lunges forward as the boat begins to propel across the water. From a distance I see the excited, sunburned faces of my siblings as they laugh, cheer, and egg on the wild ride I now endure. The closeness I feel to both siblings and parents on this day is special. It doesnt happen as often as Id like, but when it does I wouldnt be anywhere else in the world. Through prior days and months, our lives pressed on in a whirlwind of chaos, but in this chaos today, we are close, happy, and united. We are a family. While growing up, and even today, time spent with family while engaged in recreational activities is something I will forever cherish. However, the fact of the matter is that I was lucky, and rightfully consider myself so. In todays world, many children do not live in a home or family where recreation is commonplace. Rather, in a world where television, video games, cell phones, and computers reign, both parents and children starve themselves from an abundance of health and happiness. This is having a tremendous negative effect on the health and well being of

families and society. Combine this with fast food, increased portion sizes, overeating, and poor diets, and you find a plague covering most of our nation. The solution to these issues lies at the heart of each familys lifestyle. If families choose to become involved in recreational activities together on a consistent basis, they will avoid many of the physical, mental, and emotional pitfalls that come with an unhealthy lifestyle; specifically those recreational activities which involve a form of physical exercise. In order to more correctly establish this thesis, my prior and future uses of the word recreation must be more clearly defined. Many definitions of the word recreation guide us toward recreation being a form of rest, renewal, leisure, or relaxation. While all of these things are most certainly true and can be incorporated into the use of the term recreation, they do not support recreation as being a solution to the apparent health problems facing our nation. Rather, for recreation to truly be a solution to these health problems, it must involve some sort of physical exercise or activity. For example, one person might enjoy reading, while another enjoys basketball. Both activities can fall under the term recreation, but one obviously has much greater physical health benefits for the person participating. Thus I would ask you, as a reader, to keep in mind that my use of the word recreation involves specifically some form of physical activity. To most, it does not come as a surprise to hear that our culture is becoming one of idleness, obesity, and unhealthy habits. In recent decades, the trends in these categories have continued in a negative pattern. From a report released in June of 2013 by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics we read, Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time (2.8 hours per day), accounting for about half of leisure time, on average, for those age 15 and over (American Time Use Survey Summary). Television is obviously one of the most dominant cultural aspects of our current society. A recent study released by the University of

California, Berkeley discovered that on average, Americans spend nine times as many minutes watching TV or movies as they do on sports, exercise and all other leisure-time physical activities combined. The same study also showed that we spend five times as much time driving in a car then we do on exercise (Dong et al.). How much time we ought to spend, or allow our children to spend in front of the TV is an entirely different argument in and of itself, but I offer these statistics simply to show that our society revolves heavily around activities that encourage a sedentary lifestyle. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, sedentary is defined as, doing or involving a lot of sitting : not doing or involving much physical activity (Sedentary). Sitting in front of a television not only prevents us from being physically active, but it has been proven to have a substantial negative effect on physical health. One study performed in Australia in 2008 shows, On average, every single hour of TV viewed after the age of 25 reduces the viewers life expectancy by 21.8 min. (Veerman) . While a similar study on smoking observed that smoking one cigarette reduces lifespan by 11 minutes (Shaw). In as simple terms as possible, this data means exactly as it states. Television viewing and other similar activities that predominantly involve sitting, have negative physical effects that are equal to or greater than smoking. Now dont get me wrong, most people I know (and Im sure most of you reading this) would probably say they are in pretty good overall health. Most people would probably say exercise and physical health is fairly important to them. However, this data shows how time is actually spent, regardless of whether health is important to us or not. We can clearly see that a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more and more common, even without us realizing it is taking over our life. Worst of all, the physical toll which a sedentary life will have on our bodies is only beginning to be understood.

In recent years multiple diseases, obesity trends, and even the leading causes of death in the United States have been linked to sedentary lifestyles. Currently in the United States, 37.5% of adults are obese (Adult Obesity Facts). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death (Adult Obesity Facts). In 2010 heart disease was the leading cause of death in the US, killing over half a million people (Leading Causes). In relation to a sedentary lifestyle, obesity is directly linked to and often results from a lack of physical activity. Obesity is not only increasing in adults, but in young people as well. Currently, 17% of children ages 2-19 are obese; 3 times as prevalent as it was in 1980 (Data and Statistics). If we take time to comprehend what these numbers truly mean, we would be nothing less than astounded. With over 37% of adults classified as obese, this means that 1 in 3 adults in the United States far exceed a healthy weight. Some argue that Body Mass Index (BMI), the measurement often used to determine obesity, skews this number due to its lack of taking into account those who are heavy because of increased muscle or bone. However, those who fall into this category make up only a small fraction. The reality is that 1 in 3 adults are obese, not to mention those who are overweight. More frightening, is the realization that issues like type 2 diabetes and heart disease are preventable in most cases through diet and exercise, yet many dont change their lifestyles and eventually suffer the consequences of their choices. In other words, as a nation, we hold in our hands our own poison. The less we exercise and more we sit in front of TVs and computers, the more poison we inject into our own bloodstream. This poison doesnt always show its effects right away, and some lucky ones may never see its scars, yet it already has and will continue to devastate millions of lives. But as with most negatives, there is a

good side to the story. Conquering this poison, is also within us, and shows itself through exercise. From our earliest days as children, possibly before we even walked, our bodies wanted to move. As children, we were told to eat our vegetables, go to bed early, encouraged to play and explore, and taught how to live a healthy life. The principles that coincide with healthy habits are easy for a child to understand. It does not take years of study and research to realize that keeping our bodies healthy comes most effectively through exercising and eating right. Yet, perhaps, through the business of life, enjoyment of new electronics, or the need to keep up with our favorite TV show, we have forgotten what it means to truly take care of ourselves. A study from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reminds us, Regular physical activity helps prevent obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, and premature mortality (Macera et al.). If things were that simple as children why should they have changed? Just as your mother used to tell you, Brush your teeth, or youll get cavities, doctors warn of the physical dangers that will come later, if we choose not to exercise now. But of course, following the pattern we set forth as children, we still have an endless supply of excuses as to why we just dont want to. Lack of time, lack of money, lack of skill, lack of knowledge, kids: all common excuses as to why we dont exercise. Just as your mother would quickly disprove you before brushing your teeth, I will attempt to do the same in order to briefly explain why these excuses are also butts, everyone has one, and they all stink. Time is something we all have, we just dont know its there. If we reflect for a moment on some of the previously mentioned statistics, we may recall that the average American spends nearly 3 hours watching television. I will make only one suggestion about how we use our time, which should already be clear: take one of these hours and replace it with exercise. Money on the other hand, is not as readily available as time. Though

I am not an expert in sports or exercising, I have had my fare share of experience in both areas. This I can say with 100% certainty: some of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences Ive had while recreating, costed nearly nothing. The only limit to what you can do is your creativity. Walking, hiking, jogging, and throwing an old ball around all can be enjoyed without breaking out your wallet. As for our final three excuses: lack of skill, lack of knowledge, and kids, these are to be stirred together and addressed all at once. Together, they create the ultimate solution to all our problems. Three of the most important keys to a successful exercise regimen include choosing an activity that you find enjoyable, having the ability or skillset to participate in your activities, and participating in those activities with others. The family is the perfect unit in society to practice and develop these important qualities. Parents know that children become successful in life through habits which they are taught by their parents, which are practiced in the home. The first step in teaching something is leading by example. Therefore, in the case of exercise, parents must take the initiative to get their family together and participate in a form of family recreation. Just as with an exercise routine, this must occur regularly in order to be beneficial. Learning new, physical skillsets together as a family provides a wonderful environment to engage in new activities, learn together, and become physically active as a result. In her book Living Outside the Box: TV-free Families Share Their Secrets, Barbara Brock explains, Between rushing around and collapsing in front of the TV, we have forgotten how to be with each other. Perhaps we are not busy so much as lonely (Brock 25). Personally, I echo Brocks statement. Most of us can relate to this idea, which is often the reality, that our families lack true unity due to our busy lives and infrequent time together. Family recreational activities can help us to not only overcome the

physical health challenges facing our nation, but can also help our families to become stronger and more united. While driving down the freeway, many of us have looked at the suburban or minivan we are passing, and read the bumper sticker, Families who play together, stay together. Yet we may not realize how much truth there is to this statement. A study on the correlation of outdoor recreation and family cohesiveness, released in 2009 in the Journal of Leisure Research explained, It could be inferred that activity may affect cohesiveness more than cohesiveness affects activity (West et al.). From this we can infer, a family participating in an activity is more likely to be unified through that activity, than another already-unified family is likely to go out and participate in an activity. This teaches us, that families dont have to be perfect in order to make recreation happen. Just go out and do it, unity will come naturally as a result. A perfect example of a family such as this, is the Frank family. Through a firsthand survey and interview, we learn that Ben and Tera Frank are parents of a typical, middle-class American family. Their family consists of seven members, including five children between 2 and 12 years of age. The Franks reside in Salt Lake, Utah. On average, the Frank family spends nearly as much time participating in some form of recreation each week as they spend on electronics (tv, computers, video games, etc.) Both areas average around 9 hours. In correlation with these findings, we also learn the Frank family considers themselves in overall excellent health, and views their level of family unity as high or above average. This information clearly illustrates the possibility every family has, to balance their time accordingly, and make recreation more important than other unnecessary areas. Increased family unity, and improved physical health will often result if this is accomplished.

If we are to become better as a nation, it must first start in ourselves and in our families. Sedentary habits plague our nation and will continue to do so unless we decide to change. Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity do not have to claim millions of lives. Choosing to exercise and teaching our children to do the same, through recreational activities, is the medicine we need. The recipe will always be the same, as it always has been. Its up to us to make it happen. Even at this very moment you are probably sitting down, reading these words. So to you I say: get off your seat and on your feet. Gather your family and increase your heart rate, because as far as I can tell, your life depends on it.

Works Cited "Adult Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. Agate, Joel R., Ramon B. Zabriskie, Sarah T. Agate, and Raymond Poff. "Family Leisure

Satisfaction and Satisfaction with Family Life." Journal of Leisure Research 41.2 (2009): 205-24. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Oct. 2013. "American Time Use Survey Summary." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 June 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. Brock, Barbara. Living Outside the Box: TV-free Families Share Their Secrets. Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington UP, 2007. Print. "Data and Statistics: Obesity and Extreme Obesity Rates Decline Among Low-Income Preschool Children." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. Dong, Linda, Gladys Block, and Shelly Mandel. "Activities Contributing to Total Energy Expenditure in the United States: Results from the NHAPS Study." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 1.4 (2004): n. pag. 12 Feb. 2004. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Jilcott Pitts, Stephanie B., Michael B. Edwards, Justin B. Moore, Kindal A. Shores, Katrina Drowatzky DuBose, and David McGranahan. "Obesity Is Inversely Associated with Natural Amenities and Recreation Facilities Per Capita." Journal of Physical Activity & Health 10.7 (2013): 1032-039. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Oct. 2013. Krcmar, Marina. Living Without the Screen. New York City, NY: Routledge, 2009. Print.

"Leading Causes of Death." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. Macera, C. A., D. A. Jones, M. M. Yore, S. A. Ham, H. W. Kohl, C. D. Kimsey, and D. Buchner. "Prevalence of Physical Activity, Including Lifestyle Activities Among Adults United States, 2000-2001." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 52.32 (2003): 76469. 15 Aug. 2003. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. "Sedentary." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Shaw, Mary, Richard Mitchell, and Danny Dorling. "Time for a Smoke? One Cigarette Reduces Your Life by 11 Minutes." BMJ 320.53 (2000): n. pag. 1 Jan. 2000. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Veerman, J. Lennert, Genevieve N. Healy, Linda J. Cobiac, Theo Vos, Elisabeth AH Winkler, Neville Owen, and David W. Dunstan. "Television Viewing Time and Reduced Life Expectancy: A Life Table Analysis." British Journal of Sports Medicine 46.13 (2012): 927-30. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

West, Patrick C., and L.C. Merriam, Jr. "Outdoor Recreation and Family Cohesiveness: A Research Approach." Journal of Leisure Research 41.3 (2009): 351-60. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.