More youngsters are overweight and under-exercised than ever before. Children are getting fatter, but not because they are eating more. Despite the temptations of junk food, research has shown that their calorie intake in general is lower than it was pre-1960. They are simply less active. And inactive children will lose out on many health benefits, including enhanced immune systems, improved self-esteem, lower weight, reduced stress and anxiety and healthier bones.
Last year, the Government declared that all primary school children were entitled to two hours physical activity a week. Many still do not get it in school time, though, which isn't surprising considering that only five per cent of primary schools have PE specialists, only half have playing fields and fewer than one in 10 has a gym or swimming pool. The time schools devote to PE has declined dramatically since the introduction of the literacy and numeracy hours. But there are things that parents can do to make sure that their kids don their trainers and tracksuits on a regular basis.
What to do
- Children should be active for at least 30 minutes, and preferably 60 minutes, every day. This doesn't have to be vigorous activity - a brisk walk is enough, as long as it gets the heart pumping.
- Whatever sport you do, make sure it's fun. Go for a cycle ride, splash about in the local swimming pool, take up skipping, trampolining, rollerblading or skateboarding, go to dance or gymnastics classes, and get teams together to play sports.
- After-school clubs are a great opportunity to make friends, socialise and to incorporate regular physical activity into children's lives.
- Walking or cycling to school makes for a healthy start to the day.
- Girls who do little weight-bearing exercise, such as running and walking, risk failing to increase their bone density enough to protect them from osteoporosis later in life. Take up a sport that involves running e.g. netball, hockey.
- Be aware that too much exercise can also cause problems. As well as over-use injuries, a minority of young people develop exercise bulimia, where sport becomes an obsession.
Children's Health - The Facts
Four out of five 11-year-olds eat chips every day, with one in five eating chips twice a day, every day, according to a survey of 800 11-year-olds at Llanelli comprehensive schools.
22% of all 7-11 year olds are overweight. 12% of boys and 11% of girls in the same age group are obese.
40% of girls drop out of school sport by the time they reach their teens.
The proportions of boys and girls eating fresh fruit every day fell in 2000.
Girls in Wales are less likely than boys to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, particularly those aged 15-16.
School dinners are the only hot meal eaten every day by one in four children in Wales, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.
A survey of schoolchildren aged 11 to 16 showed that 6% had eaten no fruit in the past week, while 5% had eaten no vegetables.
On average, children eat less than 13 servings of fruit or vegetables a week, much less than the recommended 35 portions.
Useful websites:
Sports Council for Wales. Tel: 029 2030 0500.
Education Extra. Tel: 020 8709 9900.
British Heart Foundation. Tel: 020 7935 0185.
Institute of Youth Sport. Tel: 01509 228293.
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