Children ‘should do weights’ to fight off the f lab

CHILDREN as young as six should do squats, push-ups and lunges to avoid obesity, a study has shown.

Researchers say strength-based exercises could play a key role in reducing body fat and suggest that children as young as six could even lift small weights – provided they can follow simple instructions.

A study has found that doing exercises that cause muscles to contract, and strengthen muscles and bones, reduces children’s body fat.

The findings also suggest an increase in muscle mass – gained from strength-based exercises – could help boost children’s metabolism and energy levels.

Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee examined the findings from 18 studies exploring the effects of resistance training on body weight for children in what is the most extensive review of its kind so far.

They found that resistance training decreased body fat, although it had no overall effect on other measures, including body mass index and waist circumference.

Child obesity rates are soaring in Scotland, with 29 per cent of children overweight or obese.

Although PE is taught for around two hours a week in primary school, the curriculum typi- cally only includes sports such as running, jumping, swimming, ball games and dance.

Fears are growing that children are simply not getting enough exercise, with research showing children as young as seven are slipping into a ‘couch potato’ lifestyle due to growing use of smartphones, computers and TVs.

Helen Collins, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and a sport and exercise scientist at the University of Dundee, said: ‘Resistance training is not currently part of the Scottish curriculum in primary schools and they do not necessarily have the facilities.

‘But if children are overweight or obese, strength training is a good option for them.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Our ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030 means we want children to have the best start in life. An active lifestyle is an important part of that, along with eating well and being a healthy weight, and we welcome these findings about the value of strength-based exercises in meeting that goal.’

‘Strength training is a good option’