Data on children's activity levels exaggerated
Cathy Wallace
Monday, September 8, 2008
The true level of physical activity among children in the UK is probably around six times lower than national data suggests, new research has claimed.
A study published in Archives of Diseases in Childhood said annual health data for the UK, collected to help inform policy and practice, could have seriously overestimated the level of physical activity among children.
Data on children's activity levels relies on parents supplying information. But researchers found that when they measured the activity levels of children, they actually did far less than their parents claimed.
The research team measured levels of activity among 130 six- and seven-year-olds for a week. The parents of these children had claimed they were moderately to vigorously active for 146 minutes a day on average.
However, the researchers found children were only actually active for 24 minutes a day on average.
The research team said these findings backed up national figures showing an increase in the number of car journeys children take and an increase in waist size in children.
"Marked improvements in surveillance of physical activity will be necessary in order to meet the major public health challenges of the 21st century," the researchers said.
Data on children's activity levels relies on parents supplying information. But researchers found that when they measured the activity levels of children, they actually did far less than their parents claimed.
The research team measured levels of activity among 130 six- and seven-year-olds for a week. The parents of these children had claimed they were moderately to vigorously active for 146 minutes a day on average.
However, the researchers found children were only actually active for 24 minutes a day on average.
The research team said these findings backed up national figures showing an increase in the number of car journeys children take and an increase in waist size in children.
"Marked improvements in surveillance of physical activity will be necessary in order to meet the major public health challenges of the 21st century," the researchers said.
