Children and young people need to be moderately active for one hour every day. Some types of moderate physical activity include brisk walking, games and active play, dance, cycling, swimming, skipping, climbing, gymnastics, and most sports.
Activity can be built up over the day, but experts recommend that children should be active for at least 10 minutes each time.
If your child is not regularly active at the moment, it might be time to limit the computer games and encourage him or her to go out and play or get involved in a sport. Start gradually and build up to target - setting good habits early is good training for life!
Research has shown that children whose parents are physically active are five times more likely to be active than children whose parents are not active, so it may be worth leading by example. Adults are recommended to aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week.
Regular physical activity has many benefits for both the mind and body. It can help to reduce the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. Encouraging your child to be regularly active now can reduce their risk of developing these diseases in later life. Regular physical activity also has benefits of building strong bones and relieving stress. Increasing levels of physical activity can help to reduce body fat and maintain a healthy weight. When it comes to being active, every little helps!
The above has been adapted from the ‘Little Steps’ website. For more information on how to become more active or about healthy eating check out the ‘Little Steps’ website run by the HSE and safefood at www.littlesteps.eu
For more information on diet and nutrition, please contact the Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster on (044 ) 9353220 or email [email protected].
