Public Health England has today launched this year’s Change4Life 10 minute shake-up campaign aimed at encouraging children to do 10 minutes bursts of “moderate to vigorous” activity every day so that they can meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity that children need.
Alongside the campaign launch, which is being fronted by Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson and supported by Disney, Public Health England have published an evidence review undertaken by British Heart Foundation researchers of the various behavioural, physical, social and emotional outcomes of physical activity amongst children aged 5-11 years, to see how strong the evidence is on these issues.
The review shows that there is strong evidence that physical activity and sport has a positive impact on children’s social skills and self-esteem, as well as further social benefits such as increased confidence and peer acceptance.
Despite concerted efforts to encourage children to be more physically active, worrying gaps still remain, with 79% of boys and 84% of girls aged 5-15 years in England not meeting the current physical activity recommendations. The findings of the review will underpin the messaging of the Change4Life programme in a bid to increase the number of children meeting the physical activity recommendations.
On the findings of the review, co-author Professor Charlie Foster commented:
“The positives of exercise on children’s mental wellbeing are less well known than the physical benefits. The evidence showed a strong link between physically active children and improved self-esteem, confidence, attention span and even academic achievements.”
Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England (PHE), added:
“Levels of childhood obesity are unacceptably high – currently 1 in 5 primary school children is overweight or obese. This latest review reinforces the essential health and wellbeing benefits of being physically active. Breaking up the 60 minutes of physical activity that children need each day into 10 minute bursts will be more appealing and manageable for children and parents alike.”
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