28th Sep 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
Britain's youngsters are failing to get enough daily exercise, with only one in eight of them getting 60 minutes of physical activity a day - the recommended daily amount - according to a survey published today.
The survey found nearly one in three children did under an hour of exercise a week. Worryingly, 78% of children were unaware of the recommended daily amount of exercise they should be doing, with 30% even admitting they 'can't be bothered' to exercise on a daily basis. Recent research has predicted that if current trends continue two thirds of all children will be overweight or obese by 2050. Of the children surveyed, one in five considered exercise to be 'a chore' and think you only need to do it if you're overweight. Children are now spending more time on their computers and mobile phones with over half (55%) admitting they spend 60 minutes or more a day texting and/or chatting to their friends and visiting social networking websites. Dr Mike Knapton, BHF director of Prevention and Care, said: "We have a generation of kids growing up who have a shockingly blasé attitude towards exercise and being active. Young people need to switch off their square eyes and get in the habit of exercising now."
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