Q) How much exercise do your children get? A) A lot less than you claim

Published on Monday 8 September 2008 22:17

PARENTS are overestimating the level of exercise their children get by as much as six times, academics claim today.

Researchers at Glasgow and Newcastle universities examined data in which adults were asked how much physical activity their children undertook.

Parents said their children were moderately to vigorously physically active for an average of 146 minutes a day.

However, when the children were monitored it emerged the true figure was 24 minutes a day, with boys managing 26 minutes and girls 22 minutes.

The academics, whose findings are to be published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal say data on children's physical activity levels has relied too much on information supplied by parents.

Annual health surveys are used to inform UK public health policy and practice, and the figures indicate children have been increasingly physically active over the past few years.

However, when researchers used a recording device attached to children's belts to study actual activity levels in 130 children aged six and seven over a week, they found a huge disparity.

It is recommended that children engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily physical activity, such as brisk walking or running.

The survey of parents suggested 83 per cent of boys and 56 per cent of girls were achieving this. However, the recording device showed only 3 per cent of boys and 2 per cent of girls actually achieved this level.

The academics say greater monitoring is needed to gain an accurate picture and tackle childhood obesity.

Last year, a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found Scotland was the second most obese nation in the developed world, behind only the United States.

The British Heart Foundation described the research as "deeply worrying".

Maura Gillespie, head of policy and public affairs at the charity, said: "We know childhood obesity is on the rise in the UK.

"The government needs to ensure our streets are attractive and safe for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging more children to cycle and walk to school safely.

"Neighbourhoods, parks and green spaces need to be well designed and maintained to encourage children to play safely outside."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman agreed children should be getting an hour of activity most days.

She said: "We have set a target for 80 per cent of children to meet this recommendation by 2022 and programmes which will help are under way."

Active video games could be the answer

CHILDREN who play physically challenging video games use enough energy to stop them from becoming overweight, and boost their heart health, according to a new study.

Children burn roughly four times as many calories per minute playing physically active video games, such as those seen on Nintendo's interactive Wii console, than playing a seated game.

Dr Russell R Pate of the University of South Carolina, said of the findings: "If we want to promote physical activity in the context of contemporary society, we will have to fight fire with fire. Physically active video gaming may be part of the antidote."