Want to keep your teen from getting overweight? Have them play team sports.
According to a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, participating in several sports teams may help prevent obesity.
In the study “Influence of Sports, Physical Education, and Active Commuting to School on Adolescent Weight Status,” researchers conducted telephone surveys with 1,718 New Hampshire and Vermont high school students to determine their level of sports participation, other forms of physical activity, and height and weight status. It was determined that teens who played on three or more sports teams in the past year were 27 percent less likely to be overweight and 39 percent less likely to be obese compared with teens who did not play on any sports team.
