Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Get your couch potato outside.

It has become apparent that our children aren't getting enough activity.  This affects their health and development - both physically and mentally.
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Activity Healthy Kids Canada

2014 Report Card


 
Globe and Mail (20 MAY 2014) Why kids over 5 aren’t doing enough physically

A first-of-its-kind study comparing physical-activity levels of children around the world has found that kids in Canada aren’t anywhere close to achieving the recommended level of daily physical activity despite access to large numbers of parks, playgrounds, hockey rinks and other such facilities.

USA Today (7 SEPT 2013) Is your child getting enough physical activity?

If anyone had asked our moms if their children were getting enough physical activity, they would've laughed. "Of course!" But today's increasingly sedentary lifestyle leaves many kids short on the exercise and play time they need to protect their health.

According to a May 2012 Institute of Medicine report, only about half of America's kids and teens get enough activity to meet current guidelines. Those recommendations call for kids to participate in at least 60 minutes of vigorous or moderately intense physical activity every day.

But during the school day, few kids actually get this recommended amount of time. "Only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle schools, and 2 percent of high schools provide daily physical education," according to the Institute of Medicine report.

Guardian (21 MAY 2014) Couch potato Australia: only 19% of children get enough exercise each day

Australia is raising a generation of couch potatoes, according to a new study which has found that only 19% of children get the recommended amount of exercise each day.

The study by Active Healthy Kids also found that despite Australia’s love of sport, the level of participation among kids in organised sport is not enough, with children still spending too much time in front of screens.

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