Child Sedentary Lifestyle: A Worrying Epidemic
Child sedentary lifestyle is a growing problem almost all over the world, which is why it is classified as an epidemic. This situation occurs due to several factors, and is also a potential trigger for future health problems.
In a recent report, the World Health Organization noted that about 70% of boys and up to 88% of girls under the age of 10 do not engage in age-appropriate physical activity on a daily basis. This means that the sedentary lifestyle affects, on average, 79% of children.
Physical activity plays a fundamental role in health at all stages of life. However, during childhood it is an essential factor for normal development. Therefore, there is great concern in the medical sector in view of the gradual increase in child sedentary lifestyles.
child sedentary lifestyle
The word sedentary comes from the Latin root sedentarĭus , which means “sitting”. Sedentary lifestyle is defined in several ways, and one of the most accepted classifies as sedentary those who spend less than 150kcal per day in moderate-intensity physical activities.
In the case of child sedentary lifestyle, the World Health Organization indicated that a child is sedentary if he does less than 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Studies in this regard indicate that the vast majority of Western children do not reach this quota of daily activity.
Worst of all, sedentary lifestyles in children are often accompanied by other harmful factors, such as inadequate nutrition. This, together, creates the conditions for the number of obese children to be at levels never seen before, with all the consequences that this fact implies.
Risk factors
Continuous movement during childhood is a decisive factor for psychomotor development. Furthermore, it is the movement that allows the child to discover himself and discover the world. This, in turn, strongly influences intellectual and psychosocial development.
Why is childhood sedentary lifestyle becoming so common? These are some of the factors that favor it:
- Physiological factors: the closer children approach puberty, the less physical activity and the more intellectual activity they exhibit.
- Sociocultural factors: the change in games and in the form of entertainment, as well as the lack of availability of parents, influence the development of a more sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, children’s movement is not sufficiently stimulated.
- Psychological factors: lack of physical activity limits skill development and this, in turn, causes children to become more sedentary because of their self-perceived incompetence in activities that require physical skill.
Effects of childhood sedentary lifestyle
Child sedentary lifestyle has numerous negative consequences, and some of them have long-term effects. Among other problems, the most relevant are:
- Overweight and obesity: lack of exercise, especially if associated with inadequate nutrition, leads to overweight and obesity. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- Stagnation of psychosocial development: children who do not engage in physical activities are less self-confident. In addition, they have less social skills and, in general, have worse academic performance.
- Development of addictive behaviors: New technologies have an addictive effect, especially on immature minds such as children. This limits their normal psychological development and can lead to other personality and behavior problems.
to take into account
It is no exaggeration to say that childhood sedentary lifestyle can completely ruin a person’s life. If physical and intellectual skills are not developed according to normal growth, a life with important limitations is being built. If overweight or obesity problems also appear, there is a serious risk of chronic disease.
It is essential that adults provide children with opportunities to engage in physical activity. In this sense, parents, teachers and caregivers play a fundamental role. Sedentary lifestyle is fought with lifestyle changes.
Finally, children feel naturally inclined towards physical activity, and the early years are crucial for this. Adults need to commit to supporting children in their desire to explore the world by moving around, playing with other children and getting in touch with nature.
