Letting children play
There is widespread concern that many children are not active enough and that this has long-term health implications. Current government guidelines say that children should do at least an hour of moderate intensity exercise every day and that at least twice a week this should include activities such as running and jumping to improve bone health, muscle strength and flexibility. Yet fewer than half of 15-year-old girls and only 66% of 15-year-old boys manage this.
In January 2008, NICE published public health guidance to provide practical recommendations for everyone with a role in promoting physical activity for children and young people. Its recommendations range from a call for a long-term national campaign to advice for local practitioners and planners on making activities relevant and suitable for all young people.
Parents may fear the risks of increasing their children's levels of physical activity, whether it is through sport or everyday activities such as playing outdoors or walking rather than being taken by car.
Organisations that work with young people may fear they will be sued if a child is injured. These fears of risk may not necessarily correspond to the reality. The group that developed the guidance thought that the risks of increased physical activity need to be weighed up against the benefits. And an inactive lifestyle can put children at greater risk in the long term, because they are more likely to develop conditions such as obesity, heart disease and cancer.
Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the NICE Centre for Public Health Excellence, explained: "Obesity rates in this country are rocketing and with the number of children not taking part in physical activity increasing, this problem can only get worse. Dealing with the long-term consequences of obesity costs an estimated £2.5 billion each year, placing a huge strain on the health service. It's important that we let children play, and don't let society's aversion to risk stop young people from being physically active.
This guidance makes strategic and practical recommendations to promote physical activity to children and young people in a variety of settings and so will help to ensure that this frightening trend is halted."
The guidance supports the Department of Health led Change4Life campaign that aims to get young people eating better and moving more.
This page was last updated: 13 August 2009
