Canadian Children Face Activity and Fitness Crisis

by John Belfry

There is a growing concern across the nation that, while children are receiving sound academic programs in their schools, they are not receiving an adequate level of regular, vigorous, physical activity. This is especially alarming when you consider the following facts:

FACT 1

Daily, physical activity improves children's skeletal health, thereby also reducing the risk of future development of osteoporosis.

Evidence

Research shows that exercise may be more important to bone growth than milk (Houston, 1983).
Physical activity in adolescence has an important role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis later in life by enhancing peak bone mass (Bailey and Martin, 1994).

FACT 2

Recent research has indicated an increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity which is linked to a lack of physical activity. Both obesity and inactivity are modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Increasing participation in regular physical activity will consequently reduce the risk of this fatal disease.

Evidence

In North America, 40 per cent of five- to eight-year-old children can be classified as obese (Fishburne and Harper-Tarr, 1992).
Forty percent of Canadian children already have at least one risk factor for heart disease -- reduced fitness due to an inactive lifestyle (Fishburne and Harper-Tarr, 1992).

FACT 3

Regular physical activity improves children's mental health and contributes to their growth and development.

Evidence

Exercise plays a role in reducing anxiety, depression and tension, and it has beneficial effects on the emotional status of both young and old persons. In children, physical training results in increased self-esteem and perceived physical competence which are necessary, interceding variables that enable children to cope with mental stress (DeMarco and Sidney, 1989).

FACT 4

Regular physical activity enhances academic performance.

Evidence

Improvements in discipline, academic performance and self-concept are benefits associated with regular physical activity (Fishburne and Boras, 1989).
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity favourably enhances skill performance in classroom functions such as arithmetic, reading, memorization and categorization (Keays, 1993).
Even when more time is devoted to physical education, academic performance has been found not to suffer (Maynard, Coonan, Worsley, Dwyer and Baghurst, 1987).

FACT 5

It is important to educate, encourage and motivate children to participate in regular, physical activity because the habits they establish in childhood carry over to adulthood.

Evidence

One of the rationales for promoting physical activity in youth is to enhance their future health by increasing the probability that they will remain active as adults. It is believed that adolescents who develop a habit of participating in activities that can be carried over into adulthood will be more likely to remain active (Sallis and Patrick, 1994).
Activity and fitness levels in childhood tend to track into adulthood, when sedentary habits have their impact (Blair, 1992; Freedson and Roland, 1992).

FACT 6

Participation in regular physical activity has a positive impact on behaviour and healthy lifestyles in youth.

Evidence

Children and youth who are physically active report lower levels of smoking and alcohol consumption than their less active counterparts (Campbell, 1988).
Among young people, high levels of fitness are associated with a decline in smoking and drinking behaviour, healthier eating habits and increased self-esteem (Guzman, 1992).

FACT 7

An increase of youth participation in physical activity will provide significant reductions in health care costs by decreasing their future risk related to a variety of diseases.

Evidence

Young women who increase their level of physical activity and calcium intake by a modest amount can reduce the risk of osteoporosis at age 70 by almost one-third. The resulting reduction in hip fractures due to osteoporosis through increased physical activity and calcium supplementation could result in substantial savings (Osteoporosis Society of Canada, 1992).
Regular physical activity, when properly undertaken, can be effective in preventing and limiting the disabling effects of heart disease and stroke (Kuntzleman, Reiff, 1992; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 1993).

These facts suggest that Canadian children are experiencing an activity and fitness crisis. It is critical that we provide our children with attitudes and skills required for them to lead long, healthy and productive lives.

Child care providers play an important role both as role models and by giving young children positive experiences with active play. By encouraging large-motor play and by making physical activity a priority every day, children and caregivers will experience the fun of movement and the benefits of good physical health. Parents who see the importance of active play for their children in preschool and day care settings will be advocates for physical education programs when their children are in school.

Why You Should Be Concerned
Children are 40 % less active than they were 30 years ago.
The average Canadian child watches more than 26 hours of television and spends up to 30 hours sitting in school each week.
Only 766 out of more than 15,800 Canadian schools have been formally recognized for quality education on a daily basis.
Play habits have become more passive with new technology. Children are spending a great deal more time on computers and playing video games.
Many students are transported to school and to other places for convenience or safety reasons.

John Belfry is Director, Quality Daily Physical Education for the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1600 James Naismith Drive, Gloucester, Ontario, K1B 5N4. Tel (613) 748-5622; Fax (613) 748-5737. E-mail CAHPERD@activeliving.ca. The Canadian Child Care Federation is a member of the Canadian Coalition for Quality Daily Physical Education.

References

Bailey, D.A., Martin, A.D. (1994). Physical activity and skeletal health in adolescents, Pediatric Exercise Science,6: 330-347.

Blair, S.N. (1992). Are American children and youth fit? The need for better data. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,63(2): 120-123.

Campbell (1988). Campbell's survey on well-being. In Fitness Directorate (Ed.) Active living and health benefits and opportunities. Ottawa: CAHPERD.

DeMarco, T. & Sidney, K. (1989). Enhancing children's participation in physical activity. Journal of School Health, 59(8): 337-340.

Fishburne, C.J. & Boras, C.M. (1989). An integrated approach to learning. Issues in teacher education. Proceeding of the 1989 Alberta Teacher Educators in Physical Education Annual Meeting, Edmonton, Alberta.

Fishburne, G.J. & Harper-Tarr (1992). An analysis of the typical elementary school timetable: A concern for health and fitness. In T. Williams, L. Almond & A. Sparkes (Eds.), Sport and physical activity: Moving toward excellence. (pp. 362-375). London: E & FN Spon.

Freedson, P.S. & Rowland, T.W. (1992). Youth activity versus youth fitness: Let's redirect our efforts. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 63(2): 133-136.

Guzman, C.A. (1192). Related benefits from physical activity program interventions. In Fitness Directorate (Ed.). Active living and health benefits and opportunities. Ottawa: CAHPERD.

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (1993). Position statement on Physical Activity. Unpublished Report, Ottawa.

Houston, C.S. (1993), June). More important than milk. Paper presented at the Western Canada Conference (Fitness Roundup), Banff.

Keays, J. (1993). The effects of regular (moderate to vigorous) physical activity in the school setting on students' health, fitness, cognition, psychological development, academic performance and classroom behaviour. North York: North York Community Health Promotion Research Unit.

Kuntzleman, C.T. & Reiff, G.G. (1992). The decline in American children's fitness levels. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,63(2): 107-111.

Maynard, E.J., Coonan, W.E., Worsely, A., Dwyer, T. & Baghurst, P.A. (1987). The development of the lifestyle education program in Australia. In B.S. Hetzel & G.S. Berenson (Eds.). Cardiovascular risk factors in children. Epidemiology and Prevention: 123-142.

Osteoporosis Society of Canada (1992). Bulletin for Physicians, Issue 6.

Sallis, J.F. & Patrick, K. (1994). Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: Consensus statement. Pediatric Exercise Science,6: 302-314.

This article appeared in Interaction (Fall 1996), published by the Canadian Child Care Federation.

Posted by the Canadian Child Care Federation, August 1997.