Synopsis

This 2013 peer-reviewed research study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, gives us a fascinating window into how children’s daily habits—especially how much they move naturally throughout the day versus sitting a lot—can affect their growth, weight, and long-term health risks like type 2 diabetes. While the study focused mainly on children from the Old Order Amish community in Pennsylvania (ages 8–19), who live without modern technology like TVs, computers, or cars, it deliberately compared them to non-Amish kids from a similar rural area in Maryland and to national U.S. survey data (from NHANES, which represents typical American children across the country). The key takeaway isn’t just about the Amish—it’s about what happens when kids in the general population miss out on those built-in opportunities for movement, and how that might contribute to higher rates of overweight and related health issues today.

Looking through the lens of what this means for kids in the general population (most modern children with access to screens, motorized transport, structured activities, and less daily physical work):

• Typical childhood overweight begins earlier and is much more common: In national U.S. data and in a nearby non-Amish rural group, about 34–37% of children were overweight during these years (body mass index at or above the 85th percentile for age). In contrast, only 13.3% of the Amish children were overweight, and their average body mass index stayed close to healthy levels throughout childhood and adolescence. This suggests that, in the broader population, excess weight often begins to accumulate during key developmental stages, which can set the stage for longer-term health challenges.
• Most kids get far less everyday movement: The Amish children naturally built in a lot more activity—about 53 extra minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous movement (like brisk play, chores, or walking/biking to school) and 34 extra minutes of lighter activity—compared to the non-Amish rural kids (and even more so compared to national averages). For typical children today, daily routines often involve more sitting (in school desks, in cars, in front of screens), leading to lower overall activity levels that don’t align with what supports healthy growth.
• More movement strongly supports healthier body development: Across groups, higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous activity were associated with lower body mass index scores, indicating that consistent, natural movement during childhood helps children maintain a healthier body shape as they grow. In the general population, where activity is often lower and more planned (like sports rather than built-in chores/play), this protective link may be weaker, contributing to rising overweight trends.
• Sedentary habits are the modern default for many kids: The Amish lifestyle avoids prolonged sitting—no screens for entertainment, active ways to get around, and plenty of hands-on play or work. In contrast, typical childhoods today include far more screen time, passive transportation, and seated activities, which research like this highlights as a major shift away from movement-embedded days that were once more common.
• Even girls benefit dramatically when the environment encourages activity: Boys were more active than girls in both Amish and non-Amish groups, but Amish girls outperformed non-Amish boys in activity levels. This shows how cultural and environmental factors (such as community norms that prioritize physical activity for everyone) can overcome typical patterns—offering ideas for encouraging more activity among all children, including girls, in mainstream settings.
• Delaying extra weight gain could offer substantial long-term protection: The study links these childhood patterns to why Amish adults have much lower diabetes rates, even when their weight later matches the general population’s. In typical kids, earlier and more prolonged overweight (starting in childhood) increases diabetes risk over time because the body spends more years dealing with excess fat. Higher natural activity and delayed weight gain in childhood, as seen here, appear to build lasting metabolic resilience—suggesting that helping general-population kids stay more active and avoid early excess weight could make a real difference in preventing obesity-related conditions.

The Study

Here’s the study:

Citation

Hairston KG, Ducharme JL, Treuth MS, Hsueh WC, Jastreboff AM, Ryan KA, Shi X, Mitchell BD, Shuldiner AR, Snitker S. Comparison of BMI and physical activity between old order Amish children and non-Amish children. Diabetes Care. 2013 Apr;36(4):873-8. doi: 10.2337/dc12-0934. Epub 2012 Oct 23. PMID: 23093661; PMCID: PMC3609522.

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