|
Couch Potatoes Can Start
Young
Some children as young as 3 display a sedentary lifestyle
that increases their risk of obesity later in life, says
a study in the Jan. 17 issue of The Lancet.
Researchers measured the total energy expenditure (TEE),
physical activity, and sedentary behavior of 78 3-year-old
children and followed up with 72 of the children two years
later.
The children's average physical activity levels indicated
these young children had a sedentary lifestyle and, because
of that, an increased risk of obesity. At 3 and 5 years,
the children's TEE was much lower than the British estimated
average requirement for energy, by about 200 calories per
day.
The children in this study typically did only 20 to 25 minutes
a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Present
recommendations suggest that children need at least 60 minutes
of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.
"We have provided objective evidence that present recommendations
for physical activity are not being met by many young children.
Low levels of physical activity might have been predicted,
but directly measured objective data have not been available,
and there is a widespread perception among parents and health
and educational professionals that young children are spontaneously
active," lead researcher John J. Reilly, a specialist
in developmental medicine at the University of Glasgow and
Yorkhill Hospital, says in a prepared statement.
"Public health interventions are needed urgently, and
these must involve population-based strategies that increase
physical activity, reduce sedentary behavior, or both, in
early life," Reilly says.
Article Source: HealthDay
Article Author: N/A
Net Reference 101
|
