1 Aug 2017
Fewer than one in 10 children reach the daily recommended levels of physical activity, a Scottish Government report has revealed.
According to a survey published today, the overwhelming majority of 10 and 11-year-olds north of the border don’t do enough exercise.
Children are “sedentary” for more than seven hours every day, the analysis showed.
The ‘Growing Up in Scotland’ report is the latest to reveal Scotland’s battle with obesity.
Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said these findings suggested the country’s battle with the bulge is going to get significantly worse before improvements are seen.
The data – which involved a survey of thousands of children between May 2015 and May 2016 – also showed deprivation and gender were irrelevant when it comes to activity levels, with all groups returning similar results.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:
“This is a problem for everyone, regardless of deprivation or gender – the entire country is impacted.
“From a public health perspective, it’s alarming that so few children are doing enough exercise each day.
“We’ve always known activity levels in Scotland are lower than they should be.
“But people will be stunned that just nine per cent of youngsters are doing enough.
“We already have severe problems with obesity north of the border, and all the health complications that brings.
“Going on this survey, that situation is only going to get worse in the years and decades to come.
“If the Scottish Government doesn’t take strong action to address this now, thousands upon thousands of Scots will suffer the implications further down the line.”
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