Get Kids Moving: The Urgent Call for Activity

In today's world, many children and teens are not getting enough exercise. Studies show that a whopping 81% of young people around the globe are not physically active enough, preferring to spend most of their time sitting. This trend is concerning because it might be part of the reason why kids' Fitness levels have been declining over the years.

In Japan, things are not looking any better. Since 1985, physical fitness among elementary school students has been on a downward spiral. This is partly because they are spending less time being active, playing outside, and during school hours. Changes in school Guidelines have also resulted in fewer physical education classes, with a shift in focus towards having fun rather than improving fitness.

When kids develop good physical fitness, it can have a huge impact on their health. Physical fitness is linked not only to physical health but also to mental well-being and how well they perform in school.

#The Three Pillars of Healthy Living

What can we do about this? Well, experts have suggested a simple solution known as the 24-hour movement guidelines. This approach encourages kids to balance three main activities in their daily lives: getting enough physical activity, reducing Screen Time, and getting enough Sleep.

Here's a quick rundown of what the 24-hour movement guidelines suggest for kids aged 5 to 17 years:

1. Get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day (think running, dancing, or playing soccer).
2. Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours per day (that includes TV, video games, and mobile devices).
3. Get enough sleep-9 to 11 hours for younger kids and 8 to 10 hours for older teens.

When kids follow these guidelines, they tend to have better physical fitness, meaning they can run faster, jump higher, and generally feel more energetic.

#The Numbers Behind the Guidelines

While many studies have looked at how well kids adhere to these 24-hour movement guidelines and their fitness levels, there are still some gaps in the research. For instance, only a small number of studies have focused on children, and even fewer have tackled the different components of fitness like muscle strength and agility.

In Japan, the fitness scores of kids have been declining for some time, but not all areas of fitness are affected in the same way. That's why it's critical to examine how these guidelines can be linked to specific aspects of fitness in order to plan better strategies to help kids get fit and healthy.

Research has shown that sticking to the 24-hour movement guidelines can also reduce issues like obesity, improve mental health, boost self-reported health status, support brain development, and even help kids perform better academically. So, by following these guidelines, kids may unlock a whole range of benefits that contribute to their overall well-being.

#A Closer Look at the Study

To really understand how these movement guidelines can boost fitness, a study was conducted with kids in Japanese elementary schools. The study involved nearly 500 children aged 6 to 11 years. To ensure the kids and their parents were on board, written consent was obtained from everyone involved. Researchers followed ethical guidelines to make sure the study was conducted fairly.

#Checking Physical Activity

To find out how active the kids were, a questionnaire was used to ask them about their physical activity levels. Kids were asked how many days each week they engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes. If they were active every day, they were considered to be following the movement guidelines.

#Screen Time and Sleep

The kids were also surveyed about how much time they spent in front of screens each day. They had to report their daily hours spent watching TV, playing video games, and using the internet. The goal was to keep this time to 2 hours or less.

Sleep was another important factor examined in the study. Kids were asked to indicate how many hours of sleep they got each night. Those who reported getting the recommended amount of sleep were categorized as meeting the movement guidelines.

#Measuring Fitness Levels

Next, the researchers assessed each child's physical fitness using a standard test that included eight different activities. These ranged from measuring muscle strength with handgrip tests to checking flexibility, speed, agility, and overall cardiorespiratory fitness through running tests and jumps.

The results for each child were scored on a scale, with a total score that reflected their overall physical fitness.

#What the Study Found

The results were quite revealing! Just 4.9% of the children managed to meet all three of the movement guidelines, while a surprising 25.1% did not hit any of the targets. This shows just how tough it can be for kids to stay active, limit screen time, and get enough sleep.

#Relationship Between Guidelines and Fitness Scores

The study also looked at how following the guidelines affected the kids' fitness scores. For those who met the physical activity guideline (MVPA), their fitness scores were significantly higher compared to those who did not follow any guidelines. But it didn't stop there; combining physical activity with good sleep habits or limiting screen time created even better scores.

For specific fitness activities, interesting results emerged. Those who engaged in regular physical activity showed improved scores in various fitness tests. Running fast, jumping high, and doing sit-ups were all linked to being active. This means that getting kids to move more can really help them improve their fitness levels.

#Diving Deeper into Fitness Results

The study also looked at specific fitness tests to see how they correlated with the movement guidelines. Notably, when kids only met the physical activity guideline, they performed better on tests like sit-ups (trunk muscle strength) and agility tests.

Interestingly, the handgrip strength test didn't show any notable connections to the movement guidelines, which could mean that different types of physical activity impact various muscle groups differently. Lower body strength seemed to be more influenced by active play than upper body strength.

Also, it turned out that the standing long jump results were better for those who met both the physical activity and screen time guidelines. This suggests that reducing screen time may lead to better outcomes in Physical Activities that require lower body strength.

#Insights on Other Fitness Components

When it came to cardiorespiratory fitness (a measure of how well the heart and lungs work), kids who engaged in the recommended physical activity performed better in shuttle run tests. On the other hand, screen time wasn't significantly linked to cardiorespiratory fitness, which could highlight how important active play is for kids, especially at a young age.

For muscle endurance, the sit-up test results showed improvements when kids stuck to the physical activity and screen time guidelines. This suggests that encouraging more active play could help strengthen kids' core muscles.

As for the softball throw-an indicator of explosive power and dexterity-the results were significantly better when kids combined physical activity with enough sleep but weren't as impressive when they only met the physical activity guideline.

#Conclusion

The findings from this study clearly illustrate the benefits of physical activity for children. Meeting the physical activity guidelines alone has a strong impact on overall fitness and specific components of fitness. When kids also keep their screen time in check and get enough sleep, these benefits are even more pronounced.

With the rise in sedentary lifestyles and screen time, the need for children to engage in regular physical activity is greater than ever. Encouraging kids to get out, play, and be active is essential for their physical and mental health, as well as their overall well-being.

So, let's motivate our kids to put down their devices and get moving! After all, a little less screen time and a bit more playtime can lead to happier, healthier children.