Dr Hilary: Children should exercise their right to run
KIDS are unfit because they do not walk or cycle to school any more, Dr Hilary Jones has said.
The GP and TV personality reckons we “over-administrate” sport and deny youngsters the exercise they need. Dr Hilary, 68, who was banned from taking part in the London Marathon after he let his son race with his number, told the RunPod podcast: “I’d like kids to be running at a young age.
“My grandson – he’s an amazing runner, he’s under 12. Kids in Africa run a marathon to school and back every day and over here, we’re saying, ‘It’s not safe yet’. Why?”
He continued: “Why don’t we encourage our kids to take more exercise? I bitterly regret that so many school playing fields have been sold off for developments or car parking.
“Kids don’t walk to school or cycle to school so much these days and we wonder why kids are so unfit.
“They don’t have the opportunity that my generation had.”