Alarming Statistics

Our children are sitting way too much!

• An average child can spend 7.5 hours sitting each day, despite being quite active at other times.

• Children spend approximately five (5) hours a day sitting at school. 

  Source: Sitting less for children, National Heart Foundation

Our kids don’t meet national guidelines!

The National Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, & Sleep Recommendations for Children and Young People (5-17 years) includes:

Physical Activity

• For health benefits, children and young people should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day.

• Children’s physical activity should include a variety of aerobic activities, including some vigorous intensity activity.

• On at least three days per week, children should engage in activities that strengthen muscle and bone. On at least three days per week, children should engage in activities that strengthen muscle and bone.

• To achieve additional health benefits, children should engage in more activity – up to several hours per day.

Sedentary Behaviour

• To reduce health risks, children and young people should minimise the time they spend being sedentary every day. To achieve this:

  • Limit use of electronic media for entertainment (e.g. television, seated electronic games and computer use) to no more than two hours a day – lower levels are associated with reduced health risks.

  • Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

The Australian Health Survey 2011-12 indicates that in 2011-2012 around:

• 1 in 4 (26%) children aged 5–12 and around 1 in 10 (8%) children aged 13–17 met the physical activity guideline

• 1 in 3 (35%) children aged 5–12 and 1 in 5 (20%) children aged 13‍–‍17 met the sedentary screen-based behaviour guideline

• 1 in 10 (12%) children aged 5–12 and only 1.9% of young people aged 13–17 met both the physical activity and sedentary screen-based behaviour guidelines.