Canadian kids not getting enough exercise, score a D- in report card
A shocking new study gives Canada a failing grade when it comes to daily activity levels for children.
The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health on Wednesday, showed Canadian children are falling well behind their counterparts around the world when it comes to daily exercise.
The latest study, led by Dr. Mark Tremblay, gave Canada a jaw-dropping D- and backs what health and childhood obesity experts in British Columbia have said for years — kids need to get away from computer and video games and get outside and play more.
Dr. Mariana Brussoni, an associate professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia, said the latest study should serve as a wake-up call for parents. “We are a D-, which is pretty bad. It is a failing grade,” said Brussoni.
She noted that one of the big concerns among health care practitioners is that only nine per cent of Canadian children aged five to 17 are getting 60 minutes of moderate to intense physical exercise a day.
“This is an international standard,” she said of the findings. The countries with the best physical activity levels were Slovenia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Slovenia got an A-.
The study outlined that in Canada 95 per cent of parents feel they have access to park and outdoor sports facilities, but are in competition with computer games and the sometimes daunting logistics of getting to those activities because of travel and work schedules.
Brussoni feels kids should not be on a screen for recreational purposes more than two hours a day.
Annick Gabruch, mom to Sam, 4, Ben, 5, Joseph, 9, and Isabelle, 10, said there’s not a lot of downtime for sitting in front of a screen when their Surrey family of six is constantly on the go with school, chores and church commitments.
On weekends, the Gabruchs build physical activity into their family outings, a habit she hopes her kids will hang on to as they age.
“Honestly, I think every family is different and every parent is going to have different convictions about what’s important and what’s of value for them as a family and for our family in particular, we are on the busier side so we value quiet time, we value one-on-one time, we value just downtime,” she said.
“I would say, don’t feel the pressure or the judgment of people saying you should be having your kids in these things or you shouldn’t let them watch so much TV or whatever.”
One of the findings in the study Brussoni noted is that in countries where kids walk or ride their bikes to school, their overall physical conditioning is much higher.
“Kids in Canada are typically driven to school,” she said.
“But in Zimbabwe they have high rates of kids walking and biking to school,” she said.
“Kids aren’t playing outside as much as they should,” she added. “Just let kids be kids.” Vancouver psychiatrist and parenting expert Dr. Shimi Kang said physical activity is important for the overall well-being of children.
“We obviously connect physical exercise with physical health but it’s also fundamental to our mental health especially as rates of anxiety and depression are rising,” she said.
“Cardiovascular exercise is a natural anti-anxiety method that has profound benefits.