The rapid increase in the percentage of overweight and obese children is a cause of great concern. It was recently reported that 26.1 per cent of boys and 23.1% of girls in New South Wales schools are obese or overweight.
Regular physical activity plays an important role in the prevention of weight gain and obesity, which explains why researchers are examining how much exercise our kids are actually doing and whether changes to physical activity patterns might fix the problem.
Researchers recently examined the relationship between total energy expenditure and physical activity level in more than 100 preschool and first year schoolchildren. A team of researchers measured total amount of physical activity, time spent in different intensities of physical activity, and sedentary behaviour, using a type of pedometer worn by the children during their waking hours.
The study found that the sample of children studied were basically sedentary and took part in very little moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity. This parallels the findings of the tenth biennial report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia's Health 2006, which states that children are less physically active and spending more time in sedentary activities such as computer games.
The researchers concluded that in order to have the greatest effect, kids' health strategies should promote a shift from sedentary behaviour to light-intensity activities. By promoting vigorous activities, such good-intentioned strategies might be less effective because the change in the children's current behaviours would be too great.
So how can teachers and parents help? One strategy is to lead by example.
When adults adopt healthy eating and exercise habits, children are more likely to follow suit. We need to pass on the message that children should participate in at least one hour a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity – and that establishing an exercise habit will help protect them against inactivity-related diseases such as diabetes, later in life.
References:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2006. Australia's health 2006. AIHW cat. No. AUS 73. AIHW, Canberra
Booth M, Okely AD, Denney-Wilson E, Hardy L, Yang B, Dobbins T (2006). NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) 2004; Full Report. Sydney. NSW Department of Health
Reilly JJ, Jackson DM, Montgomery C, Kelly LA, Slater C, Grant S, Paton JY. (2004) Total energy expenditure and physical activity in young Scottish children: mixed longitudinal study. The Lancet 363: 211-212.
Montgomery C, Reilly JJ, Jackson DM, Kelly LA, Slater c, Paton JY, Grant S (2004) Relation between physical activity and energy expenditure in a representative sample of young children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80: 591-596.
Westerterp KR (2001) Pattern and intensity of physical activity. Nature 410: 539.
Related reading:
Active Parenting Required
High Risk Inactivity
Encourage Your Kids To Be Active
Think Creatively & Get Your Child Moving
