A Response To “Why Should the Next Generation of Youth Guidelines Prioritize Vigorous Physical Activity?”

In a recent published Current Opinion in Sports Medicine-Open, Chaabene, Markov, & Schega make the case for vigorous physical activity (VPA), including high-intensity exercise (HIE) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), as a priority in future physical activity (PA) guidelines for children and adolescents. Their article provides evidence of the effectiveness of different types of VPA for improving health-related fitness and reducing health risks among children and adolescents. The authors recommend that the “…next generation of PA recommendations should place a greater emphasis on the significance of vigorous physical activity for youth”. In this paper the recommendation for making VPA, including HIE and HIIT, a priority in future PA guidelines for youth is examined. Alternative priorities are provided.