Lets take on Childhood Obesity
Physical Activity in Children
What are the guidelines?
- 60 minutes. The recommended amount of physical activity for school aged children is at least 60 minutes per day
What are the benefits of physical activity?
- Agility, balance and co-ordination
- Improved self esteem and mood
- Better energy levels
- Better sleep quality
How big is the problem?
- 4 out of 5 children (ROI) and 3 out of 4 children (NI) NOT meeting the guideline
TV viewing figures
- 34% of preschool children have a TV in their bedroom
- 2.2 hours: Average amount of time preschool children spend watching TV daily
Walking to school figures
Key tips for parents
- Replace screen time with active games
- Build activity into everyday routines
- Get involved and get active
- Children don’t have to do it all at once. They can build it up over the day
Downloads
Childhood Obesity. The Facts.
About childhood obesity
- 1 in 4 children is overweight or obese
- Obese children are likely to become obese adults
- Parent’s find it difficult to recognise that their child’s weight is not healthy
About physical activity
- 3/4 children in Northern Ireland do not meet Government Physical Activity Guidelines
- 4/5 children in the Republic of Ireland do not meet Government Physical Activity Guidelines
- Preschool children on the island of Ireland watch an average of 2 hours 9 minutes television a day
- 34% of preschool children have a TV in their bedroom
About children’s diets
- Many children do not meet the dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetables, saturated fat or sugar
- 1/5 of the energy intake from a child’s diet comes from sugary drinks, biscuits, confectionary, chocolate and cake
What are the consequences?
Short term effects
- Problems with bone heath
- Breathing difficulties
- Phsycological and social issues
Long term effects
