Welcome to “Ask the Expert,” a new UTHealth Houston newsroom series where our leading physicians examine pressing health challenges. In this inaugural edition, we explore pediatric medicine’s overlooked epidemic, childhood inactivity, and talk about scientifically proven interventions that can transform young lives.
Eight hours of classroom sitting, followed by homework and screen time – for millions of American children, this sedentary cycle has become normal, but the physiological costs are profound. Recent data from the 2024 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity reveals that only 24% of youth ages 6-17 achieve the American Heart Association’s recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Children are developing adult cardiovascular risk factors at unprecedented rates. Sedentary patterns established during childhood program lifelong disease risk.