Today’s children heavier and taller – but weaker

THE strength of Britain’s children is declining at an alarming rate, researchers have warned.

Although ten-year-olds measured in 2014 were heavier than in 2008, their BMIs had not changed because they were also taller. But the children were not physically stronger as a result, a team from the University of Essex found.

Using data from the Chelmsford Children’s Fitness and Activity Survey, which has been monitoring ten-year-olds since 1998, the study found that boys and girls were doing less exercise than ever before, which has resulted in them becoming significantly weaker.

Researchers recorded a 20 per cent decrease in muscle strength and a 30 per cent decrease in muscle endurance.

Dr Gavin Sandercock, who led the study, said: ‘Despite being bigger, we find ten-year-olds are getting weaker. Continued declines in strength are a worry, but even more concerning is that the rate of these declines is accelerating.’