New research on how young athletes should be treated for concussions on and off the field is welcome news for both parents and coaches.

But a Seattle doctor who was on the international research panel that created the 2017 Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sports hopes parents won’t use this information as a reason why their children shouldn’t be playing sports.

Stanley Herring, director of the University of Washington Sports Health and Safety Institute, says exercise is essential to a child’s long-term health. The concussion protocols published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine are designed to keep athletes as safe as possible, and all youth sports programs should adopt them. But parents also need to keep their kids active.

Physical illness related to inactivity is more likely to result in premature death than sports-related concussions. About 10 percent of deaths worldwide are related to physical inactivity, including heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, according to Harvard researchers. Physical activity also combats depression and enhances psychological well-being and may improve academic performance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.