Schoolchildren inactive—study

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 15

Schoolchildren inactive—study

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London British schoolchildren, whose main leisure-time activity is watching television and for whom organised sport is an almost unheard of pastime, exercise so little that they could be encouraging heart disease in later life, health experts say.

Surveys show that up to 80 per cent of children are extremely inactive,

doing less than five minutes vigorous activity a day, apart from physical education lessons. The recommended amount of exercise for a healthy heart is 20 minutes, three times a week, of sufficient vigour to induce breathlessness.

The lastest health experts’ findings came from a study by researchers at Loughborough University, initially involving 500 chil-

dren but later extended to several thousand. It follows up research published last year which showed that most British children eat a very unhealthy diet of snacks and crisps. Mr Stephen Pain, of the Health Education Council, said, "there are very serious implications for the future health of these children if they continue to be as inactive as they are.”