Children are falling behind in physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviour: UOW

Only one in ten of the world’s children aged three to four years are meeting the global recommendations for physical activity, sedentary screen time, and sleep researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW) have found. 

 

The new study, led by Dr Kar Hau Chong, examines how many children are meeting the health guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and was shared in JAMA Pediatrics late last month. 

 

The evidence-based global Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age recommend that children aged three to four years old should, in a 24-hour period, undertake at least 180 minutes of physical activity, of which 60 minutes should be moderate to vigorous intensity, have less than an hour of sedentary screen time, and receive 10 to 13 hours of good quality sleep.

 

In the pooled analysis led by Dr Chong, the team of 50 authors examined 7017 children, aged between three and four years,across 33 countries, with the aim of providing a comprehensive snapshot of their health and activity levels around the world.

 

While the researchers noted differences between sexes, regions, and country income levels, the universal finding was that most children were not getting enough movement and were spending too much time on screens.

 

Dr Chong described the findings as ‘concerning’ given the role which early childhood plays in establishing lifelong habits. 

 

“Staying active, getting enough sleep, and resting when necessary are incredibly important for a child’s overall development, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially,” Dr Chong said.

 

“These behaviours impact how a child grows and thrives. We know that early childhood, under the age of five, is a critical window to establish lifelong habits. Yet most children do not receive enough physical activity and spend too much time on screens. This really shines a light on a big public health concern that could affect everyone’s health and wellbeing in the future if we don’t take the steps to address the issue.”

 

Africa had the highest number of children meeting the guidelines at 23.9 per cent, while the Americas had the lowest percentage, with just over 7.7 per cent of children compliant. 

 

“We need to understand the factors that influence these behaviours in children from different sociocultural settings before we begin to implement contextually appropriate programs and policies to encourage more movement, be less sedentary, and have adequate sleep,” Dr Chong said.

 

“It is essential to adopt a holistic approach where parents, educators, policymakers, and communities must work collaboratively to create environments that support children to meet the guidelines. The health of future generations depends on solving these global problems.”

 

‘Pooled analysis of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep among children from 33 countries’, by Kar Hau Chong, Thomas Suesse, Penny Cross, et. al., was published in JAMA Pediatrics and may be accessed using the links provided.