The first ever UK-wide guidance on physical activity, says that children under the age of five, who are capable of walking unaided, should be physically active for at least 180 minutes throughout the day. It suggests children walk to nursery, the shops or the park, and the time they spend sitting in their pushchair be minimised.
According to the Department of Health, the guidance, launched as part of a Government anti-obesity drive, would add an additional 30-60 minutes of physical exercise to a child’s day. Pre-school children typically spend 120-150 minutes on physical activity daily.
For young children not yet walking it recommends activities such as swimming, encouraging them to spend time on their stomach and playing with other people.
The advice for children from five- to 18-years-old is to do up to several hours of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day, and activities to strengthen muscles and bones including gymnastics, skipping and hopping three days a week.
Sally Goddard Blythe, director of the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology, added, ‘This advice is based on evidence linking exercise to prevention of obesity. Exercise in the early years is also essential to develop the motor skills needed to support learning.’
‘Free time and space to play on the floor in the first year of life provide babies with opportunity for unrestricted movement, with tummy time (when awake) being important to help develop head control and upper body strength. Research indicates that a significant percentage of school aged children have immature motor skills and that the incidence is highest amongst children identified with special educational needs.
'While some of these problems stem directly from underlying neurological dysfunction, some may be linked to insufficient physical activity in the early years. Ample physical activity in the early years may help to prevent the onset of later difficulties.’
Maura Gillespie, head of policy and advocacy at the British Heart Foundation said, ‘We’re particularly pleased that the guidelines focus on the under-fives and recognise the benefits of more vigorous activity for older children and adults.
‘Our childhood and teenage years are where we develop habits and lifestyles that generally continue throughout our adult life. So it’s vital that parents introduce children to fun and physically active pastimes to help prevent them becoming obese children, who are likely to become obese adults at risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.’
