Running in the garden, cycling, climbing a tree … Outdoor activities are essential for a child’s physical development. Yet, according to a study published in the weekly epidemiological bulletin of the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) of October 6, 2015, four out of ten children never play outside. A worrying finding since the frequency of outdoor games is strongly linked to time of physical activity young children.
To reach these conclusions, InVS researchers used data collected in 2006 and 2007 as part of the National Health Nutrition Study (ENSS) on 808 children aged three to ten years. They measured the time spent practicing outdoor activities, in front of a computer, in front of the television and in front video games. Result: 39% of these children never play outdoors.
Overweight children play less outdoors
Only 50% of the children followed by the ENNS play outdoor games at least two school days per week, but this proportion is 64% during the days with little or no school (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and School vacation).
In addition, the survey highlights a vicious circle: overweight children or obese play less outdoors (33%) than those of normal build (52%).
Likewise, only 37% of children spending two or more hours a day in front of television play outside regularly (at least two days a week), compared to 56% of those who watch it less than two hours a day.
Another obvious inequality is that of geographic distribution. Indeed, children living in the Parisian agglomeration are only 29.8% to play outside two days a week, against 51% for children living in a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants and up to 62.8% for those in the municipalities. of less than 2,000 inhabitants.
Fight against sedentary lifestyle
The InVS warns against the dangers associated with a sedentary lifestyle for children. The World Health Organization (WHO) indeed recommends that under 18s practice 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day to ensure proper development of bones and muscles, but also to prevent diseases such as diabetes and theobesity. “Interventions should be put in place to facilitate and encourage outdoor play in children aged three to ten with a view to increasing their overall level of physical activity, especially for those who are more sedentary or those with the most impairments. highest builds“conclude the researchers of the InVS. Each year, the lack of exercise would be responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths in the world, according to the WHO.
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