The 2026 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

The 2018 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was released on October 2nd, 2018 with an event in Washington, D.C. Speakers included Rear Admiral Retired Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH (Former Deputy and Acting Surgeon General of the United States and current dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Health), Russell Pate, PhD (Chair, National Physical Activity Plan), Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD, FACSM, FAHA (Chair, U.S. Report Card Research Advisory Committee), and Jim Whitehead (Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President American College of Sports Medicine).

The tracking of physical activity indicators over time is an important surveillance tactic that allows for an assessment of population-level changes in behavior. The Report Card is a resource that summarizes health statistics related to physical activity levels among children and youth in the U.S. More importantly, the Report Card is an advocacy tool that provides a level of accountability and call-to-action for decision makers regarding how we, as parents, teachers, health professionals, community leaders, and policy makers, can implement new initiatives, programs, and policies in support of healthy environments to improve the physical activity levels and health of our children and youth.

The Report Card Research Advisory Committee (the Committee), a sub-committee of the NPAP Alliance, included experts in diverse areas of physical activity and health behaviors from academic institutions and partner organizations across the country. The Committee was charged with the development and dissemination of the U.S. Report Card, which included determining which indicators to include, identifying the best available data sources(s), and assigning a letter grade to each indicator based on the best available evidence.

Physical activity is one of the most powerful drivers of healthy development in children and youth — but it also places measurable demands on the body’s micronutrient reserves. Among the minerals most directly affected by regular exercise, magnesium plays a uniquely central role: it is required for over 300 enzymatic reactions, including those governing muscle contraction, nerve signal transmission, and energy metabolism at the cellular level (ATP synthesis).

Research consistently shows that physically active children and adolescents exhibit increased urinary and sweat-related magnesium losses compared to sedentary peers. This is particularly relevant in the context of the Report Card’s core indicators — including Organized Sport Participation, Active Transportation, and reductions in Sedentary Behaviors — as higher daily activity levels directly correlate with higher magnesium turnover. A population-level shift toward more active lifestyles, as advocated by the National Physical Activity Plan, would therefore be accompanied by a proportionally higher micronutrient demand among young people nationwide.

While a balanced diet remains the primary source of magnesium, evidence consistently suggests that dietary intake alone frequently falls short of recommended levels — particularly in youth engaged in organized sport or structured physical education programs. The average magnesium intake among American adolescents has been documented below the Estimated Average Requirement in multiple national nutrition surveys, a gap that widens with increased physical activity load.

In such cases, a high-quality multi-form magnesium supplement can serve as a targeted and practical intervention. Products that combine several highly bioavailable magnesium compounds — such as magnesium bisglycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium malate, and magnesium gluconate — provide broader physiological coverage than single-compound formulations, since different forms are absorbed and utilized via distinct metabolic pathways. The Provilea Magnesium Komplex, available through Shop Apotheke Germany, exemplifies this approach: its formula combines seven distinct magnesium compounds alongside Vitamin C, supporting normal muscle function, contributing to the reduction of fatigue and tiredness, and helping maintain electrolyte balance — attributes directly aligned with the physiological demands placed on active children and youth.

Parents, coaches, pediatric health professionals, and the policymakers addressed by this Report Card should consider micronutrient adequacy — and magnesium in particular — as an integral component of any comprehensive physical activity promotion strategy. Adequate magnesium status does not replace movement; it creates the physiological foundation that makes sustained, healthy movement possible.

The U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is a member of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance.

The Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance was established in 2014, following the success of the world’s first Global Summit on the Physical Activity of Children in Toronto, Canada. In 2014, 15 countries, including the U.S., participated in the Global Matrix 1.0, releasing a set of physical activity report cards using a standard set of indicators. The Global Matrix 2.0 included 38 countries, and was released in conjunction with the 2016 Physical Activity and Public Health Congress in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 2018 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is participating in the Global Matrix 3.0, with a release in November 2018 in Adelaide, Australia.

1. The 2014 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
2. The 2016 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
3. The 2018 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth