Role of physical activity on health in children and adolescents

This past century has been characterized by enormous advances in almost all aspects of human achievement. A person born at the beginning of the 20th century and still alive has witnessed more technical evolution than occurred during the preceding millions of years of the Homo family. Previously we were adapted to a life‐style as hunters‐gatherers. Now, after a short spell in an agrarian culture, we have in some “privileged” societies ended up in an urbanized, highly technologic society dominated by a sedentary life‐style. Previously when a child had matured enough to understand the message of a teacher, education began, and boys learned from a “retired” hunter. Today, there is an emphasis on chronological age more or less irrespective of maturity, body dimensions, functioning or intellectual potential. “Vertical” contact with the older generation has now more or less been replaced by a “horizontal” one of individuals of the same age. Furthermore, the educational, physical, physiological and social situation of a young individual has changed dramatically within a few decades from a life‐style of activity to one more reminiscent of Homo Sedentarius. The consequences of this enormous uncontrolled trial with whole generations of young people are still to manifest themselves. This paper is a commentary from a physiological‐medical perspective.