Despite living in a country of wide open spaces, Australian children are now some of the least active in the world, according to the Active Healthy Kids Australia report.
Rather than a nation of active healthy children who are always outdoors, Australian kids are failing to meet the basic activity guidelines that lead to life-long health and well-being. Only one in four toddlers spend less than an hour a day on screens.
Report author Dr Natasha Schranz, from the University of South Australia, said one in five children aged between five and 17 years meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
The 2016 Physical Activity Report Card is part of a global network which includes 38 countries all reporting on the physical activity levels of their nation’s children.
Australia’s overall physical activity levels remained static but are behind countries including New Zealand, Slovenia and Brazil.
Dr Schranz said children needed to be taught to understand physical activity was an important part of everyday life.
The report said physical activity needed to be prioritised every day and should be viewed as something we all want and choose to do for fun, enjoyment, and better health and wellbeing.
It advocates a coordinated national response with a unified effort across all of the community.
Rather than a nation of active healthy children who are always outdoors, Australian kids are failing to meet the basic activity guidelines that lead to life-long health and well-being. Only one in four toddlers spend less than an hour a day on screens.
Report author Dr Natasha Schranz, from the University of South Australia, said one in five children aged between five and 17 years meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
The 2016 Physical Activity Report Card is part of a global network which includes 38 countries all reporting on the physical activity levels of their nation’s children.
Australia’s overall physical activity levels remained static but are behind countries including New Zealand, Slovenia and Brazil.
Dr Schranz said children needed to be taught to understand physical activity was an important part of everyday life.
The report said physical activity needed to be prioritised every day and should be viewed as something we all want and choose to do for fun, enjoyment, and better health and wellbeing.
It advocates a coordinated national response with a unified effort across all of the community.