HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO THEY NEED

KIDS aged 5 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day, according to Australian movement guidelines.

The guidelines, developed by the University of Wollongong for the Australian Department of Health, also recommend several hours of light physical activity each day, along with regular breaks from long periods of sitting and no more than two hours a day of recreational screen time. The guidelines also suggest vigorous activities should be combined with muscle and bone strengthening exercise at least three times a week for optimal health. However, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that in 2011-12 just

23 per cent of five to 14-year-olds got the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day. On average, they spent more than two hours each day sitting or lying down for screen-based activities.

It found almost one in four children aged 5 to 14 were overweight or obese in 2017-18, with those living in regional and remote areas more likely than kids in major cities to have weight problems.