tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/child-fitness-51245/articlesChild fitness – The Conversation2020-06-03T12:14:07Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1391662020-06-03T12:14:07Z2020-06-03T12:14:07ZKids need physical education – even when they can’t get it at school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338622/original/file-20200529-78871-ffdgat.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C18%2C3965%2C2123&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Strong PE programs encourage students to remain physically active for life.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/ben-mcdowell-right-and-nuir-habeb-left-join-fellow-students-news-photo/672087026">Kathryn Scott/The Denver Post via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When I noticed my 12-year-old son was spending about seven hours a day doing his school work online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I immediately became concerned. As a researcher who focuses on <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=GeS8BVYAAAAJ&hl=en">how to get kids to be more physically active</a>, I knew my son and his classmates were spending too much time sedentary.</p>
<p>Being physically active is good for everyone’s physical and mental health, including children of all ages and abilities.</p>
<p>Kids who are more physically active tend to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm">get better grades and develop the self-confidence</a> that can empower them to succeed later in life.</p>
<p>For people with disabilities, physical activity can help them gain <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/features/physical-activity-for-all.html">independence</a>. </p>
<h2>A summer slide in physical activity</h2>
<p>The arrival of summer vacation might allay concerns parents have about their children being too sedentary. I remember summer vacation as a welcome break from sitting in school and being stuck indoors. However, the reverse may be true for many kids today. </p>
<p>In the U.S., <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27804271/">a study of 18,170 young children</a> found that the share of children who were obese rose from 8.9% to 11.5% between kindergarten and second grade. The increase generally occurred over the summer, not when kids were in school. </p>
<p>Researchers think a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0555-2">lack of structured summertime activities</a> can cause kids to make unhealthy choices. This idea is bolstered by a review of 37 studies that found children were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0215-5">less active on weekends</a> than on school days, and research showing that kids spend <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-018-0305-z">more time using screens</a> in the summer than during the school year.</p>
<h2>One hour a day – an elusive goal</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf">Department of Health and Human Services</a> recommends that school-aged children and adolescents spend at least a total of one hour each day running, biking or doing another physical activity. Yet, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, about 1 in 4 kids between the ages of 6 and 17 were meeting that recommendation prior to the pandemic.</p>
<p>Even children who participate in organized sports may not be obtaining the prescribed 60 minutes of activity per day. One study found that children in flag football leagues spent <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1154593">only 20 minutes exercising</a> during team practices. This finding is fairly consistent across other sports, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.23.2.281">soccer</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-383">basketball</a>, where no more than about half of practice time was spent exercising.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815a51b3">level of physical activity plummets</a> when kids reach middle school, and it doesn’t make much of a difference whether they’re on teams or not. A study in San Diego found that kids between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.252">11 and 14 years old spent a total of seven minutes less on physical activity</a>, as compared to children between 7 and 10 years old, during sport practices.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, children and adolescents spend <a href="https://activelivingresearch.org/sedentaryreview">as much as eight hours daily</a> doing things like watching TV, using smartphones and playing video games.</p>
<h2>School physical education – the pill not taken</h2>
<p>When it comes to promoting physical activity, researchers have referred to physical education as “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1559827609331562">the pill not taken</a>.” Currently, only Oregon and the District of Columbia have <a href="https://www.shapeamerica.org/advocacy/son/">policies</a> that require schools to provide the nationally recommended amount of time for PE – 150 minutes weekly for elementary grades and 225 minutes for middle and high school students.
Also, <a href="https://www.shapeamerica.org/advocacy/son/">more than half of the states have loopholes</a> that let high school students skip PE. </p>
<p>Overall, most school systems weren’t doing enough to keep kids fit before COVID-19 ushered in months of makeshift remote learning. The <a href="http://physicalactivityplan.org/projects/PA/2018/2018%20US%20Report%20Card%20Full%20Version_WEB.PDF?pdf=page-link">CDC gave schools a grade of D-</a> for their efforts on that front. </p>
<p>In short, the vast majority of kids need to spend more time being active both in school and at home. Additional time spent in PE class increases students’ ability to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X19830113">learn the skills</a> to stay active as adults.</p>
<h2>What kids need from PE</h2>
<p>Physical education provides kids with more than just exercise, which is why activities like marching band and even team sports are, in my view, a poor substitute.</p>
<p>In elementary school, PE should mainly support the development of fundamental motor skills, such as jumping, kicking, throwing and catching, which are essential for a wide range of activities, such as most team sports, dance and gymnastics. Children who have mastered these skills are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2013-0012">more physically active</a> than those who haven’t.</p>
<p>Middle and high school PE programs should focus on keeping kids motivated to stay active. Because adolescents are more motivated to be physically active when they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000420">feel like they’re in control</a> of their learning, giving them a say in terms of what they do matters. Since different kids have different interests, the PE curriculum should span not only team sports, but also activities that require fewer participants, such as tennis and golf.</p>
<p>Students at all levels of instruction should have opportunities to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0663">develop their physical fitness</a>, especially their aerobic endurance, muscular strength and flexibility.</p>
<h2>What parents can do</h2>
<p>Dozens, maybe hundreds, of online resources are devoted to keeping kids active and fit when they aren’t in school. However, I’ve found that few are backed by research and that most were not developed by professional PE educators.</p>
<p>Rather than scour the internet for ideas, parents of elementary students should play games with their children that incorporate fundamental motor skills. Throwing and catching a beanbag, striking a balloon with a paddle and kicking a ball are all helpful.</p>
<p>Encouraging children to dance and do some basic tumbling will help them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2007.10597954">improve their balance</a>.</p>
<p>Parents of middle and high school students should encourage their kids to try activities they might enjoy and continue into adulthood, such as running, hiking, biking and – when facilities are available – racquetball. Try to encourage them by participating yourself and being a physically active role model. </p>
<p>Whenever possible, parents should support their children’s activity interests by assisting with transportation, buying equipment and planning family outings to parks and local events like fun runs.</p>
<p>Parents should also help their children learn to track and manage their personal fitness. Wearable fitness trackers like Fitbits are a helpful tool. Kids can use these to set daily step goals and monitor progress.</p>
<p>Families also can regularly try new activities that make fitness fun. For example, to work on aerobic endurance, try jumping rope or dancing. Instead of using weights to build muscular strength, go kayaking or rock climbing, or use resistance bands at home. Yoga, pilates and tai chi are great for developing flexibility.</p>
<p>Just remember this: Physical activity is a behavior and physical fitness is a condition. Neither are synonymous with physical education but a good PE program will help bring about both.</p>
<p>[<em>Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklybest">Sign up for our weekly newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139166/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Collin A. Webster receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.</span></em></p>Youth physical inactivity was already a problem before COVID-19, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.Collin A. Webster, College of Education Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Professor of Physical Education, University of South CarolinaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1330942020-05-18T01:19:00Z2020-05-18T01:19:00ZActive commuting could make children’s return to school better for their health and the planet<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321936/original/file-20200320-22622-19hi05g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Children walking and cycling to school has declined over the last 20 years.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-girl-backpack-going-school-back-374635360">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children in the UK and across the globe have not been at school for some time, and this prolonged absence from the daily routine has given many of us a chance to think about what should happen when schools re-open. One way to address some of the ongoing problems of the pandemic while making a real difference to children’s lives and the health of the planet would be to adopt more “active commuting”. This is simply walking, cycling, wheeling or scootering to school, rather than being driven or taking public transport. </p>
<p>Not so long ago walking to school was the norm. Being active in this way is <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/children-s-active-transportation/larouche/978-0-12-811931-0">crucial</a> if we want our children to be healthy in terms of fitness, wellbeing and levels of body fat. It also <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/children-s-active-transportation/larouche/978-0-12-811931-0">reduces</a> dependence on fossil fuels and air pollution from traffic, benefiting our health and the environment. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200511124444.htm">New studies</a> have already shown that air quality has improved in cities around the world as pollution from cars has significantly reduced due to the pandemic.</p>
<p>But when it comes to the media and public policy, focus tends to fall on <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-in-the-car-era-bad-for-them-and-the-planet-105377">adults</a> being active in their daily commute. For example, the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52592421">UK government</a> last week urged people to cycle and walk more to avoid public transport where possible if they had to return to work.</p>
<p>Overlooking youngsters has created an invisible crisis of inactivity in recent years. In many countries active commuting to school is in steady decline. Our <a href="https://activehealthykids.org">research network</a> of 49 countries recently <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS251.xml">found</a> that only a minority of children walk, cycle or scooter to school, and things are getting worse rather than better.</p>
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<h2>Disappointing findings</h2>
<p>For example, in Scotland – which is typical of most high-income countries – around <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS251.xml">half of primary school</a> children do something active to get to school these days. This number falls steadily with age among <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS402.xml">secondary school pupils</a>. At weekends, levels of physical activity are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12953">even lower</a>, when journeys by car are even more likely.</p>
<p>These disappointing research findings persist despite a policy environment that is generally supportive of active commuting in Scotland. As in so many high-income countries, the problem stems from a <a href="http://www.activehealthykidsscotland.co.uk/files/2016/12/ScotlandReportCardPaper2016.pdf">combination</a> of things: lack of policy implementation, a car-dependent culture and parents who are reluctant to allow their children to walk or cycle to school. </p>
<p>An active commute is a health-enhancing activity consisting of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA – activity which gets the heart rate up). School-age children and young people need at least 60 minutes of MVPA every day for health and wellbeing, but globally only a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(19)30323-2/fulltext">small minority</a> achieve this modest recommendation.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/pes/28/3/article-p353.xml">research</a> on over 6,000 children and adolescents who walk or cycle to school found that doing so provided around 17 minutes MVPA per day on average for primary pupils, and 13 minutes MVPA per day for secondary pupils. So it can make a real contribution to achieving that minimum of 60 minutes of MVPA per day.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321960/original/file-20200320-22590-wg7pcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Good health habits need to start young.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pretty-young-african-american-girl-big-84042154">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Dividends for health and environment</h2>
<p>There are other important upsides to an active school commute. The MVPA accumulated will have <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2712935">educational benefits</a> too because moderate to vigorous activity like this stimulates a number of cognitive processes that <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/3/265.long">improve learning</a>. This evidence alone should give schools and families a much greater incentive to encourage active commuting in their children. </p>
<p>There would also be <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/books/children-s-active-transportation/larouche/978-0-12-811931-0">indirect environmental benefits</a>. More children enjoying an active commute more often would reduce car use and the associated carbon emissions. It would also stimulate their curiosity and lead to have a greater appreciation of the outdoor environment. </p>
<p>They would get to know their community and the geography of their area much better. Children need to know how to get around when they’re not relying on cars. This is important for their independence and helps build resilience and self-reliance. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS298.xml">research</a> in the <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org">Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance</a> has identified examples of good practice that other countries can learn from. Japan has the highest rates of active young commuters among high-income countries, at around 90% of children. This has been achieved by 1953 legislation that requires children to attend local schools, which has made walking or cycling to school the cultural norm. </p>
<p>Momentum developed by the recent climate change protests and the COVID-19 pandemic have given us a golden opportunity to instil active healthy habits in our children. They might see walking, cycling and other ways of getting to school that don’t involve cars – or at the moment, public transport – as a useful way of turning their protests and concerns into practical daily action.</p>
<p>Youngsters should be supported by legislation and investment in pedestrian-first policies and cycling schemes and highways. And parents need to free their children from the deadening tyranny of being driven everywhere, to choose instead a more active and interesting alternative to getting to school. Life after this virus should not return mindlessly to “normal” – we need to do better for our children’s health and our planet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133094/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John J Reilly has received funding from the Scottish Universities Insight Institute, World Health Organisation, Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office, Cunningham Trust, Inspiring Scotland, The Robertson Trust, and the Hannah Dairy Research Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark S. Tremblay is the President of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance and Chair of Outdoor Play Canada. </span></em></p>Why we should free children from the deadening tyranny of being driven everywhere.John J Reilly, Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health Science, University of Strathclyde Mark S Tremblay, Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1222292019-08-28T10:18:25Z2019-08-28T10:18:25ZChildren who have afternoon school breaks are fitter but need a supportive environment<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289089/original/file-20190822-170922-hpc9dl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Afternoon breaks were once a common feature of nearly all primary school timetables. But, as schools have sought to dedicate more time to <a href="https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/Baines%2042402%20BreaktimeSurvey%20-%20ExecutiveSummary%20(May19)-Final.pdf">teaching and learning</a>, and limit poor <a href="https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/children-school-break-time-law-appg-recommendation-1-5897905">behaviour</a>, these short play times have been cut down and, in many cases, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/10/shrinking-break-times-in-english-schools-impacting-social-skills">eliminated altogether</a>.</p>
<p>But research has shown that play is important for a child’s <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182">development</a> – and now a new analysis from our ongoing research project has found that removing afternoon break time could be detrimental to pupils’ physical well-being. </p>
<p>As young childrens’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-asked-children-why-they-dont-get-enough-exercise-heres-what-they-said-74272">screen time increases at home</a>, school is becoming the main and – in some cases only – place where pupils have the opportunity to be active with friends. Arguably, we should be valuing all breaks as an essential part of child development and the school day. </p>
<p>For our recent study, we worked with 5,232 pupils from 56 primary schools in Wales that take part in our <a href="https://theconversation.com/schools-shouldnt-be-left-alone-to-deal-with-child-health-and-well-being-any-longer-69579">HAPPEN project</a> (Health and Attainment of Pupils in a Primary Education Network). Under this scheme we examine all aspects of child health and well-being. We asked the children about their afternoon breaks to look deeper into whether having one or not can affect different aspects of their health. </p>
<p>We found that 1,413 of the children (27%) did not have an afternoon play time, and that more deprived children were the least likely to have an afternoon break (based on their home postcode). Interestingly, children in the most affluent areas were also less likely to have this break time too – 36% of the most deprived, 17%-20% of the middle group, and 28% of the least deprived children did not have afternoon play. </p>
<p>We also found that children who had afternoon play were significantly fitter. Both boys and girls could run further and do more shuttles in a bleep test (even after we adjusted for deprivation level). This suggests that removing afternoon play for children may be detrimental to their physical health. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289088/original/file-20190822-170906-1dj2yuv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Play time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/4-year-old-confident-primary-schoolgirl-689565997">Rosie Parsons/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Attainment and behaviour</h2>
<p>Though afternoon break is often removed to focus more on teaching and learning, we found no evidence that giving children an afternoon break led to lower attainment in maths and English at Key Stage 2. In fact, 3% more boys who had afternoon play achieved their Key stage 2, although this is not statistically significant. There was no difference for girls. </p>
<p>However, we did find that children who have an afternoon break were more likely to self-report behavioural problems such as hitting out, getting very angry, breaking things on purpose and emotional difficulties such as feeling lonely, nobody likes me, feeling shy or angry. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/32/2/392/2950976">Other researchers have found the same thing</a> and, as mentioned above, poor behaviour is one of the <a href="https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/Baines%2042402%20BreaktimeSurvey%20-%20ExecutiveSummary%20(May19)-Final.pdf">main reasons why</a> schools <a href="https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/children-school-break-time-law-appg-recommendation-1-5897905">remove afternoon play</a>. </p>
<p>This finding suggests that break times may also be a time when children argue or fight with friends, and may lead to them experiencing difficult emotions. Indeed, when we asked children in another HAPPEN survey <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-ways-children-say-their-well-being-can-be-improved-104195">what they would change</a> to make themselves healthier and happier, they said “stopping arguments” and “getting along” with each other was important to them. But it is important to note that one of the most common responses to this question was that children would like more time and space to play and feel safe. </p>
<p>Rather than simply removing play for children, perhaps greater planning and consideration is needed at school level to deal with relationships during play, as this type of interaction is important for children’s broader social development. Some have argued that supervision by a play worker rather than a teacher <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/schools-advised-lengthen-lunch-breaks-16749113?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar">is needed</a>. Otherss have called for a greater variety of activities to be made available during breaks, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/32/2/392/2950976">not just unstructured play</a>. But, while efforts are being directed at making play an important time to increase physical activity, it is important that a positive social environment is created during play time too. </p>
<p>If these breaks are to be given in more schools, more support is needed to help schools ensure that play is meaningful, inclusive and encouraging of positive social relationships. Perhaps afternoon play times are the perfect time for independent <a href="https://theconversation.com/outdoor-learning-has-huge-benefits-for-children-and-teachers-so-why-isnt-it-used-in-more-schools-118067">outdoor learning</a> activities. This could help children gain the benefits of better physical health – and perhaps help deal with some of the difficulties associated with afternoon play.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122229/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sinead Brophy receives funding from Health Care Research Wales (Welsh Government) and the ESRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charlotte Todd receives funding from the National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research (NCPHWR). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emily Marchant receives funding from ESRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela James receives funding from the National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research (NCPHWR).</span></em></p>Afternoon breaks are being cut in UK schools but simply making this time more meaningful could have better benefits for children.Sinead Brophy, Professor in Public Health Data Science, Swansea UniversityCharlotte Todd, Research Assistant in Child Health and Well-being, Swansea UniversityEmily Marchant, PhD Researcher in Medical Studies, Swansea UniversityMichaela James, Research Assistant in Childhood Physical Activity, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1094772019-02-13T11:40:19Z2019-02-13T11:40:19ZBabies with healthier diets are more active and sleep better - new findings<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257988/original/file-20190208-174894-bci5wx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Learning to climb.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-baby-bad-room-213820711?src=1GdJUWXWdazRjY5dIRS5MQ-1-18">Zsolt Biczo/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Physical activity is important at all stages of life. It prevents obesity, improves well-being and reduces the risk of many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. Evidence shows that being active at a young age tracks into adulthood, and that physical activity behaviours adopted when young are likely to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25074589">carry through life</a>. And now our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ijpo.12512">study</a> of babies’ activity levels has shown how different factors, including sleep and diet, link together to improve baby health from the day they are born.</p>
<p>For our research project, we tracked the physical activity of 141 12-month-old infants (77 boys and 64 girls) using accelerometers, which they wore on their ankles for a week. We looked at how active the children were during the day and at night. Then we compared the different characteristics of the most and least active children. This involved using the accelerometer data, information that we collected from measuring the infants at home – things like weight and diet diaries were included in this – and medical records from the mothers’ pregnancy, as well as the the infants’ own birth and GP records. </p>
<p>Overall, the research showed that getting the right start means that other healthy behaviours fall in to place more easily. Across the board we found that active babies are healthy, are of good weight and are born full term. In addition, the larger babies who had been born full term were more active. </p>
<p>We found that diet is an important factor when it comes to being an active child. The children who were breastfed (breastfeeding has been associated with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22237059">higher fitness levels in childhood</a>) and those who ate more vegetables were more active. Infants who were less active had a more adult style diet, with juice rather than milk and adult crisps. </p>
<p>As well as improving their activity levels, healthy eating behaviours, such as having a higher vegetable intake, adopted at this age are <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g3256">likely to be carried through life</a> too. This, when combined with another finding that infants born prematurely, and who do not put on weight well after birth, move less, also suggests that preterm and low birthweight infants should be breastfed for longer, and that a healthy diet of milk and vegetables is even more important for them.</p>
<p>We also found that active babies sleep better than less active babies. Those infants who were active during the day woke up less at night, so they tended to sleep better – although they did move about in their sleep more. This suggests that encouraging activity could have a knock-on effect on improving other behaviours like good sleep practices. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257989/original/file-20190208-174873-resqgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nap time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/one-year-old-baby-girl-sleeping-664478614?src=y_W4EoDSKqKRJXhvCYGwpg-1-5">Stephan Schlachter/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Boys are more active</h2>
<p>The data showed that boys are more active than girls in general, even at 12 months old. Although we are not sure if this is because boys are inherently more active than girls, or if parental behaviours encourage boys to be active, and that parents accept boisterous physical behaviours from boys but not from girls. </p>
<p>Given the link between early movement and physical activity later in life, this finding raises questions about how we address girls’ physical activity. Are girls inherently less active or are they taught to be less physical? Is a boy climbing the curtains just acceptable behaviour while we worry that a girl climbing will get hurt? Is it nature or nurture that makes girls less active than boys? </p>
<p>Though we can’t answer these questions solely based on this study, another recent project of ours has <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-5274-3">highlighted the frustrations</a> girls feel towards activity through to their teenage years. Girls report there are many activities for boys but few for girls. But if girls are inherently different from boys in their activity rates, perhaps we should be tailoring activity for girls rather than assuming the want to do the same as boys. The finding from our study of infants gives more weight to the argument that we need to rethink our gendered perceptions of activity. </p>
<p>Risks for poor health cluster together in this study, but by tackling one, it could create a ripple effect of change. Improving infant diet means that they will be more active which has a knock-on effect for their sleep patterns too. And ultimately it can improve the infant’s physical fitness throughout life. Helping families with poor health behaviours from pregnancy could really improve overall health for the future infant.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109477/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sinead Brophy works in Swansea University and through the university receives funding from Heath and Care Research Wales, MRC and ESRC</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela James receives funding from the National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shang-Ming Zhou works with Swansea University. He receives funding from MRC, Health and Care Research Wales, China Social Science Foundation.</span></em></p>Encouraging your baby to be active can improve their health in other areas too.Sinead Brophy, Professor in Public Health Data Science, Swansea UniversityMichaela James, Research Assistant in Childhood Physical Activity, Swansea UniversityShang-Ming Zhou, Senior Lecturer in Health Data, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1102152019-01-24T14:17:07Z2019-01-24T14:17:07ZSchools are a crucial place for physical activity programmes – here’s how to make them work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255390/original/file-20190124-135133-j62o5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Getting young people active just requires some creative thinking.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-high-school-basketball-team-playing-199144436?src=KR7A1BNx9DSasKwGXMT96Q-1-62">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The importance of promoting activity in young people cannot be overstated. It is a <a href="https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/background/en/">public health priority</a>. And yet <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12823">a new study</a> reports that school-based physical activity programmes are ineffective at improving the activity levels of young people. The review found that in 17 international studies of a variety of school-based physical activity interventions, there was little or no change in the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) the young people did throughout the day. </p>
<p>This finding paints a dire picture of current efforts to get children moving, and suggests that we are failing to address a very serious issue. But it can’t be used to say that all projects aimed at getting children moving <a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-activity-programmes-in-schools-arent-working-heres-why-109684">don’t work</a>. Finding a solution requires some creative thinking – one scheme will definitely not fit all.</p>
<p>If evidence shows that placing activity schemes in schools is not working then surely the community and home would be the next best place. Recent findings from our <a href="https://twitter.com/ActiveProject_">ACTIVE Project</a> show that there are some very early home life factors which can be addressed to improve activity levels. By linking with routine health data, we have found, for example, that being the first born child and not being breastfed has negative impacts on heart health and fitness. So <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/95/2/498/4576840">supporting breastfeeding</a> and promoting opportunities for play and socialisation among first time parents could help improve activity levels of the children in later life. </p>
<p>But that is not to say that schools should be cut out of the equation. In fact, we think they should remain a priority alongside other places. Interestingly, our research also found that home factors such as being more deprived has no detrimental impact on activity levels and fitness of children. In fact, more deprived children were less sedentary. Yet, attending a more deprived school as a teenager actually has a negative impact on fitness levels and heart health. If we ignore this fact, and do no school-based activity work, there is a real risk that the health of young people from deprived homes will be damaged.</p>
<h2>What young people want</h2>
<p>We’ve found that one of the best ways to find out what works for different children is <a href="https://theconversation.com/six-ways-to-get-teenagers-more-active-suggested-by-the-teens-themselves-90980">to ask what they want</a> in terms of exercise provision. The young people we have spoken to are disappointed with what is on offer for them in terms of school activity. <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-5274-3">They say there is not enough choice</a>, and that the same sports (netball, football, rugby, athletics) are continuously cycled throughout their school life.</p>
<p>They also say that schools do not allocate enough time to exercise. Other core subjects take priority and there are less opportunities to play as <a href="http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/follow-survey-break-and-lunch-times-schools">primary schools remove break times</a> and support staff to increase teaching time and save money. This leaves little room for young people to explore different activities and find what they like.</p>
<p>As curricula in UK schools <a href="https://beta.gov.wales/new-school-curriculum">undergo a key period of change</a>, now is the best time to rethink how we approach physical activity. And as physical activity has been shown to <a href="https://theconversation.com/move-it-move-it-how-physical-activity-at-school-helps-the-mind-as-well-as-the-body-100175">improve concentration, attention and memory</a>, it is in schools’ best interests that they help children move more and sit less. </p>
<h2>Another perspective</h2>
<p>But just as school settings cannot be ignored, this is not something that can be solved by simply restructuring different activity schemes. Another issue that we need to address is the emphasis placed on moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA). <a href="https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_young_people/en/">Global guidelines</a> suggest that young people should do an hour of MVPA every day, and different schemes encourage this as a high priority. However, there are health benefits associated with <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-017-0601-0">all types of activity from light to vigorous</a>. By focusing on MVPA, we might be missing the benefits that come with less conventional types of activity such as cycling or skateboarding. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255389/original/file-20190124-135145-1skzfqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Getting active is the most important thing - whatever form it takes.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Thinking outside the box, and looking at other opportunities to get young people moving, such as encouraging easy changes like walking to school, can go some way towards improving their activity levels. Active travel has been associated with <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-8-5">healthier body composition and fitness in children</a>. Yet it would not meet the MVPA criteria. Moving in any way is better than not moving at all. And by encouraging life adjustments like this we could also help combat the idea that activity needs to be high exertion to be effective, something that often puts young people off. </p>
<p>While we can’t ignore that research has found school activity schemes to be ineffective so far, we shouldn’t give up. Our evidence shows that the school remains an important setting, particularly for deprived children. Instead of changing settings, perhaps the way researchers and practitioners approach physical activity needs to change. We should stop quantifying activity and start asking what evidence and support is needed for different schools and children with different needs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110215/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela James receives funding from the National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sinead Brophy receives funding from MRC, ESRC and Welsh Assembly Government</span></em></p>A new study reports that school-based physical activity interventions are ineffective in improving young people’s activity levels. But we just need to think outside the box if we want them to work.Michaela James, Research assistant, Swansea UniversitySinead Brophy, Professor in Public Health Data Science, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/918002018-06-26T11:53:12Z2018-06-26T11:53:12ZWalking a dog won’t make your child fitter, but it can give them a healthier start<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223380/original/file-20180615-85830-1m127xe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A bark in the park.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/walk-young-woman-dog-sunset-next-1014158755?src=EW5EmyRdIfZN2zAcM7-M4Q-1-15">manushot/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Dogs <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-wolves-dependent-on-humans-long-before-they-became-mans-best-friend-49390">have been domesticated</a> for more than 10,000 years. But it is only in the last 30 years of contemporary, convenience society that man’s best friend has taken on a new role – helping convert couch potatoes into active folk. </p>
<p>There has been a significant amount of curiosity from scientists on the relationship between dog ownership, physical activity and health. <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/pdf/10.1123/jpah.8.3.436">Studies have reported</a> that dog owners have a 34% higher chance of meeting the 150 minutes exercise per week guideline set by the World Health Organisation, and that they are 69% more likely to do any physical activity than non-owners. In 2017, results of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16118-6">a 12-year study</a> of nearly 3.5m people in Sweden found that owning a dog resulted in a 33% lower risk of death if living alone, and 10-15% if living in a multi-person household. Dog ownership was also associated with lower risk of cardiovascular diseases for people living in single-person households, and lower overall mortality across the general population.</p>
<p>But when it comes to children, dog walking doesn’t appear to show similar benefits for fitness and obesity. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijpo.12176">study</a> has showed that children who live with, or walk with, dogs are no fitter or less likely to be obese than those who do not. We concluded that either the amount or the intensity of physical activity when dog walking was insufficient to promote fitness in children.</p>
<h2>Walkies</h2>
<p>So why encourage children to walk the dog and also give them some exercise, then, if there is seemingly no immediate benefit? While changes in fitness may be difficult to achieve, the more important point is that taking on a new activity promotes the adoption of positive health behaviours. One of the key challenges to promoting physical activity for all ages is changing dominant inactive behaviours, such as time spent sitting, TV watching, and choosing motorised over active types of transport. Dog ownership brings with it certain responsibilities such as providing regular exercise. As with humans, dogs are creatures of habit, so recurrent dog walking instils a regular active behaviour in owners as well as their dogs. </p>
<p>Dog training does more than just change a dog’s behaviour, it can change human behaviour as well. Likewise, when the dog leash comes out, the dog “expects” to go for a walk. Consistent repetition of this behaviour ends with daily walks which results in healthy activity for both dog and owner. In addition to behaviour change there are other psychosocial factors that affect the frequency of dog walking too. A pet can strongly motivate <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/936/htm">feelings of wellness</a>, and so promote a happy, fulfilled and balanced lifestyle.</p>
<p>But, even given these psychological benefits, a slow stroll with a dog is not necessarily enough to boost human health, which is why our research group decided to look at the intensity of walks as well as duration, and their effect on child fitness.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/223381/original/file-20180615-85822-1o2y44i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rex on a trek.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boy-dog-walks-through-puddle-188428103?src=EW5EmyRdIfZN2zAcM7-M4Q-2-29">Soloviova Liudmyla/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Leading the way</h2>
<p>For our Children and Pets Exercising Together project, we combined data from the Liverpool Sportslinx study – which involved 80,000 young people over the age of 16 – with more than 50 measures of physical fitness and lifestyle that we collected from children aged between nine and 12-years-old. To investigate the relationship between dog ownership and these measures, we also sent out questionnaires. </p>
<p>We found that between 20% and 40% of adult and children’s respective time walking with a dog was moderate to vigorous physical activity. In terms of frequency, research has already shown that the median number of dog walks a week that people do are far fewer than expected – just <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/jpah.10.5.750">four per week</a>. In our study, we found that one in seven children walked several times a week with a dog, but total walking time per week was no different to children who did not walk dogs. However, walking intensity with a dog was higher than without. </p>
<p>Additional factors can come into play, however. The intensity of walking seems to be related to the breed of dog – more active dogs such as greyhounds, beagles, spaniels and collies help boost pace. And the relationship between dog and owner. Whether the dog is in a single-person household affects walking intensity too. Owners who live on their own with a dog are solely responsible for its exercise and so are more active themselves.</p>
<p>Though overall we found little evidence to support that children who live with, or walk with, dogs are any fitter or less likely to be obese than those who do not, walking with a dog is still a healthy behaviour. Dog walking won’t change anyone’s fitness drastically, but if you do own a dog you are more likely to walk yourself, and that’s good news for human health.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91800/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gareth Stratton receives funding from FP7 EU funds, NIHR, British Heart Foundation, Waterloo Foundation, Welsh Government, Intelligent Health and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board. He is chair of National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence committees.</span></em></p>Dog walking has health benefits for children - but it’s not a straightforward fitness boost.Gareth Stratton, Chair in Paediatric Exercise Science, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/909802018-03-22T10:20:41Z2018-03-22T10:20:41ZSix ways to get teenagers more active – suggested by the teens themselves<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/210945/original/file-20180318-104645-wl1zq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teens just need a little help to stay fit.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/summer-vacation-sport-games-friendship-concept-305408435?src=Npj_2Maj0gxSwsos0HMJng-1-41">Syda Productions/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The UK department of health recommends that young people (aged five to 18) should get <a href="https://www.sportengland.org/media/2928/dh_128210.pdf">at least 60 minutes</a> of physical activity a day. But <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/20/british-children-among-the-least-active-in-the-world-with-exerci/">not enough teenagers</a> actually do.</p>
<p>In schools, children and teens are taught from a young age about the benefits of being active. They should know that it reduces the risk of obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes, and increases well-being. Yet the lack of teenagers’ activity has become such an issue that it is now a serious public health concern. </p>
<p>Try as they might to implement physical activity schemes for British young people, it seems that the work of public health policy makers is not reaching everyone. Though leading experts are contributing to plans with interventions such as the <a href="https://thedailymile.co.uk/">Daily Mile</a>, we have found a missing link – the teens themselves. Researchers and policy makers play a vital role in designing physical activity schemes, but they often do not speak directly to the groups they want to target. </p>
<p><a href="http://rdcu.be/Jv4Q">For our latest project</a>, ACTIVE (The active children through individual vouchers evaluation project), we wanted to give young people the chance to make their own recommendations to help others of the same age be more active now, and carry on being active in the future. </p>
<p>We worked with more than 70 teenagers from seven secondary schools in Swansea to come up with a list of easily implementable recommendations.</p>
<h2>1) Lower cost without sacrificing quality</h2>
<p>The teenagers we worked with said that lowering the cost of activities would help them become more active. They recommended that more free activities should be available – although teenagers were aware that when places lower their prices, the quality of the activity/venue also drops. One way to tackle this would be to offer activities that do not need coaches or referees but allow teenagers to play freely, making their own games and rules in a safe space. </p>
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<span class="caption">Working out.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/teen-girl-working-out-gym-151560536?src=TGtyy5zuBXWOrAZhopmwtA-2-59">Rob Marmion/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>2) Make activities local</h2>
<p>Removing the need to travel to venues would go some way towards making physical activity more available to teenagers. The teens we worked with said they were happy to organise their own activities if they had facilities close to where they live. They did not mention the need for coaching, just a need for a space to play. All they want nearby is the space to participate in unstructured, non-competitive forms of their favourite sports.</p>
<h2>3) Improve the standards of existing facilities</h2>
<p>The teenagers all said that their local facilities need to be improved. Spaces, such as local parks, have fallen into states of neglect and equipment is broken. The local council’s maintenance of facilities was frustrating for teenagers. They said that the council should do more to maintain and improve local facilities.</p>
<h2>4) Make activities more specific to teenagers</h2>
<p>The young people we spoke to also stated that there is very little that specifically invites teenagers to attend, or provides things tailored for them. They believed that council-run services particularly neglected their age group and suggested solutions such as removing age restrictions on some gym classes, such as zumba and spin.</p>
<h2>5) Give teenagers a choice of activities</h2>
<p>Like everyone else, teens don’t want to just be restricted to a small range of sports. The activities they suggested were less traditional – for example, dodgeball, trampolining or going to the gym. But this is not just an issue for local services, the teenagers also said that schools have a lack of choice, too.</p>
<p>The teenagers complained that they were stuck doing the same sports year after year. More girls spoke about the lack of choice than boys, suggesting they were more disengaged with school sport. In particular, girls suggested being able to select the activities they wanted to do at the beginning of the school year through a conversation with teachers or questionnaires. </p>
<h2>6) Provide activities that teenage girls enjoy</h2>
<p>The teenage girls we spoke to said that if they do not like what is on offer, they will not do it, and would actually prefer to be inactive instead. When talking about different activities, teenage girls said they are more likely to be active if they can do activities they enjoy. </p>
<p>The young women we spoke to said that they enjoyed the local water park, with slides and wave machines, and a trampoline park because “it’s fun”. It might not seem like traditional exercise, but the key here is getting teens to be active, regardless of whether we would traditionally view it as “exercise”. </p>
<p>It is obvious that what is currently on offer is just not helping teenagers become more – and stay – active. But simply by including the teens’ own recommendations in solutions for the future, we might be able to finally solve the national problem of young people being inactive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90980/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela James receives funding from the British Heart Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sinead Brophy receives funding from Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, Welsh Government and Economic and Social Research Council.</span></em></p>We asked teenagers what they need to get, and stay, active.Michaela James, Research Assistant and ACTIVE Trial Manager, Swansea UniversitySinead Brophy, Professor in Public Health Informatics, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.