A recent study reported in the Journal of American Medical Association demonstrates that an increasing amount of teens are out of shape. Researchers asked over 3,000 adolescents who participated in the study to walk or run on the treadmill, and then measured their heart rates and blood pressure. Nearly 34% of the kids had readings that indicated a poor level of physical fitness. Those with the lowest fitness were black girls and Mexican-American boys.

Study authors stated that those who did least well on the treadmill test were also more likely to be overweight and have high cholesterol levels.

These findings, and other similar ones, should raise a red flag to parents. Not only should parents encourage their children to become more active - they should be role models by becoming more active themselves.