DENVER — Children in the U.S. spend an average of four to seven minutes outdoors each day in unstructured play, compared to 7.5 hours each day in front of electronic media, according to the National Recreation and Park Association .

The percentage of American children aged six to 11 years who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of 12 to 19-year-olds who are obese increased from 5% to 18% over that same period, and today, more than one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese.

The effects of this sedentary lifestyle represent a troubling trend in the health and wellness of Americans and even the U.S. economy. The NRPA links it to the country's military readiness, say

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