Children’s Fitness

• Many people worry about not getting enough exercise
• But – it also found - that 1 in 4 people walk 364 miles each year (that London to Edinburgh) in their everyday life. – “incidental” activity!
• A years worth of running for the bus, walking the dog or doing the weekly shopping burns over 100,000 calories every year.
• 1 in 4 people walk for a month each year (equal to 18 days in an aerobic class)
• Housework burns 144 cals an hour – gardening 350.
• Northerners most likely to walk up to 2miles a day – Londoners walk more than any other UK region a year.
• Women burn up more cals than men – a quarter walked 7 miles a week (only1/5th men did)
• You don’t have to go to a gym to be fit.
• Going to the Gym does little to improve the health of the nation and - can cause harm and damage.
• Past generations didn’t have extensive gym facilities – were leaner and fitter than people today.
• Gym based exercise is often “hard work” and puts people off.
• We need to feel exhilarated - not exhausted.
• Do - 30 mins brisk walking at least 5 days a week.
• 25% of women and 37% men only in UK reach this target

Children need exercise
• Just 1 hour of exercise a day could transform the health of children – not just for now – but well into their adult lives.
According to BHF 2000
• 1 in 3 children between the ages of 2 and 7 do not achieve minimum recommended levels of exercise.
• By 15 - 2/3rds of girls do so little exercise that they are classed “inactive”
• However, BHF and HEA recommend children 5 – 18 should participate in an activity for 1 hour of moderate intensity a day.
Such as for the heart (aerobic)
• Brisk walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Dancing
And at least twice a week activity to enhance muscular strength, flexibility and strong bones (weight bearing)
• Climbing
• Skipping
• Jumping
• Gymnastics
• Inactive children are more likely to become inactive adults
• Exercise fights obesity - which can lead to diabetes, heart disease and premature death.
• Couch Potato children are at health risk.
• Growing problem of youngsters who spend hours in front of TV or Computer - and eat junk food
A Government Survey (Sept 2005)
• Half of all 6 year olds are not getting the rec 2 hours of physical education each week (despite a multi-million Gov scheme to improve their fitness which involves mobilising hundreds of sports co-ordinators – (at some cost!) to work with some schools so that they are equipped to offer the suggested 2 hours!)
• Gov target was to have 75% of children receiving 2 hours of weekly PE by 2008 and all by 2010
• Only 64% of primary pupils compared with 75% secondary were doing the suggested 2 hours
• 1950-60’s schools offered at least 2 hours of sport - and competition was encouraged.
• A shift away from traditional completive games to aerobics and “multi skill” activities.
• Less playing fields
• Unsafe for many children to play outside unsupervised
• Comment 2010 London Olympics – nearly 1 in 10 of the schools surveyed did not offer athletics!

Copyright and thanks to Diana Moran http://primetimelife.tv