Canadian kids get failing grade for physical activity

Only seven per cent of children are meeting new Health Guidelines calling for 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Barnes explains several reasons why Canadian kids are so lazy.

CTV News Channel: Kelly Murumets, ParticipACTION

The president and CEO of ParticipACTION says there's a 'physical inactivity crisis' in Canada. She says afterschool between three to six pm, 92 per cent of kids are doing nothing.

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Children play in a soccer league in Oakville, Ont., on July 3, 2010. (Richard Buchan / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Tue. Apr. 26 2011 6:14 AM ET

Canadian schoolchildren are getting poor grades over how much, or how little, physical activity they get on a daily basis.

Active Healthy Kids Canada issued its 2011 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth Tuesday, and Canadian youth received an "F" for how much so-called "active play" they engage in every day.

According to the report card, only seven per cent of Canadian youth and children get the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Only nine per cent of boys and a mere four per cent of girls meet the guidelines, the report said.

During the after-school period between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Canadian kids are getting only 14 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise.

Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer of Active Healthy Kids Canada, told CTV.ca that the after-school period is one of the best times for kids to engage in physical activity.

"They need a break from school after sitting in classes for six or seven hours," he said. "It's a time when everybody is out and about, it's still light out so it is safer than other times of the day."

He says kids should be making a remarkable change to the typical pattern of coming home, sitting in front of the couch, watching TV and engaging in other sedentary activities.

"Focusing on the after-school period as a window of opportunity to try to overcome inactivity in children and the obesity crisis we're seeing is worth exploring."

The report card assigned 23 grades, including:

F for Active Play
D for Active Transportation
C- for Physical Education
D+ for Family Physical Activity
D- for Municipal Policies and Regulations

The report noted that safety concerns contribute to parents preventing children from taking part in outdoor physical activity after school.

"Often they say they won't let their kids play alone outside or far from home because of safety concerns," said Dr. Tremblay.

"We cocoon kids indoors to keep them safe."

He says that modern or "hyper" parenting has created an environment that is becoming more and more risk adverse.

"There is a feeling that this is good practice because the kids are safe and they're in the home," he said.

"However they're being sedentary -- stopping bumps and bruises but accelerating what will ultimately kill them."

Dr. Tremblay is referring to chronic disease and diabetes, as well as other serious health risks, that will not only affect kids in the future, but now.

"Increasingly we're finding there are acute effects," he said.

"Being sedentary does seem to be related with lower academic achievement, increased aggressiveness, an increase in blood sugar levels, blood fat lipid levels -- all related to heart disease and diabetes."

There has been an especially worrisome growth in the number of kids being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes -- which was called adult onset diabetes in the past. The name had to be changed because it does not solely affect adults anymore.

"This reflects a biological malfunction, when you move very little, the system malfunctions."

Though concern for safety is one contributing factor to this lack of exercise, Dr. Tremblay says the fact that there are so many enticing entertainment opportunities in the house is the biggest problem.

He says that almost every home in the country has high-speed Internet, at least two computers, VCRs, DVDs, video game units -- all appealing indoor activities that require no physical activity.

"There needs to be a reconnection with the outdoors and basic movement skills, for social and emotional benefits," he said.

He noted that homework might be a barrier for high school students after school but that for most elementary school students, it is not a problem.

Regardless, he noted that kids spend six hours a day in front of screens not doing homework, and this needs to be broken up to include some time outdoors.

"Homework can be done actively, why can't you study history with a friend while taking the dog for a walk around the neighborhood? Our brains don't stop working the minute we stand up from a chair."

Dr. Tremblay believes the next step forward is for the government to get involved.

"We currently have no physical activity plan in the country, most of our peer countries do," he said.

"We need to have that. We need a clear plan to reverse the very dangerous and scary results we're seeing right now to ensure a greater future for our kids."

He also noted that parents and teachers could become better role models and become physically active. They should also familiarize themselves with Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines.

Teachers can include more active learning in the classroom as well.

"There are a number of things you can do to introduce physical activity to education. They need to stop thinking that school and homework need to be done in a chair."

Comments are now closed for this story

Sam C
said
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@Ron... based on this study, and the many the previous ones, it would seem that the "nanny state" DOES know better than many parents. It can't just be the school's fault, nor the government's, that so many kids are so inactive! Even some kids that play sports are overweight and unfit. School is a convenient time for kids to get exercise, but it is not the ONLY time.

Ben
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I grew up in the seventies,let's compare:
70s: On tv we only had three channels, so outside we were. Now: Over 100 channels. 70s: Many times we created our own games,so outside we were. Now: Pick one, Wii, Play Station, Nintendo, and the list goes on.
70s: After school and weekends, no park in the city was empty. Now: You have the organized adult ball game and that's it. Most time the parks are empty.

I can go on but the list is too long. Times have changed. Yes, organized sport is expensive and it's not everyone that can afford it. But, a simple bike ride as a family, a nice walk/hike at Algonquin Park, snow showing, playing catch with your son and/or daughter. Anything that can be done as a family, the children will appreciate the precious time with their parents. It'll be more valuable then to buy the new and updated video game. Start when there young.

Amber
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As for winter.. I don't understand why people would comment about winter and kids not being able to play.. unless it was colder then -40.. everyone i knew growing up was outside. we just had 10 layers on of course. Winter is no excuse. This is what i mean. Its parents making excuses. I know some parents today that don't even want to go outside so their kids stay in with them. unbeleivable.

Amber
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I don't think this is the schools problem. Kids today get the same amount of running around time I had when i was a kid, at school. I was outside after school until my mother had to drag me in by the ear to have some supper and then I was right back out. It is not teachers responsibility to make sure your kids run around and get exercise. The problem.. well its DS's, Play Station's, X Box's, TV.. parents today don't seem to care. You need to realize that technology has grown so much (even from when i was a kid.. i'm 20.) Parents need to limit the amount of time kids play on these games. Kids today will sit on it after school (while they put their jackets and shoes on) and right until bed time. Take the games away and tell them to go play. Quit blaming it on our schools. Your kids don't have an imagination because of YOU.

Chris
said
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The problem isn't with Pedophiles(although it is a worry). The problem is with PARANOID parents. The problem is with our education system not teaching children what to do when confronted by a stranger. The problem is parents not teaching their children what to do when confronted by a stranger. The problem is PARANOID parents... oh I already said that. Guess what, when I was a kid, we were outside all the time. We knew to run away from strangers and go straight home and tell our parents. That's because WE WERE TRAINED to do so.... START TRAINING YOUR KIDS so they can play outside safely!!!

Walking Zombies
said
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Parents really need to step up to make sure their kids exercise. How often you go to a restaurant or walk around the mall and you see kids glued to their DS or PSP. Their parents let them be this way. Their kids literally walk around the mall playing their game and have no idea where they are walking or walking into.Parents need to put stricter limitations on their kids gaming time and the amount of TV their kids can watch. It's harder than ever to be a kid now. Too many distractions, parents unable to spend time with their kids due to work and overprotective parents who would let junior go outside and scrap his knee or break a bone.Parents need to spend more time with their kids, instead of letting TV and video games substitute for their lack of parenting. When my cousin came over for dinner with this kids, all their wanted to do was to play on my PS3 or my Wii. I had basketballs and hockey stick and suggested we go outside. They rather play games on the TV instead. The kids love hockey, but don't actually wanna play hockey. Rather watch grown men play on TV instead. Sigh

A C in N B
said
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It comes down to society in general, nothing and nobody in particular to blame. It's not just the lack of excersise, it's the LIFESTYLE and hard work of previous generations that kept them fit. Everything is made to be so easy today. It's not about just eating too much, it's the quality of our food we're eating. Both parents having to work to get by, instead of one staying home to guide the kids; cause it's not the system helping our kids. We've become so advanced in technology, that we live longer, for now. Those same advancements are making people lazy and dependent, which will eventually cause us to die sooner. It's so sad that poor health is so profitable.

abby
said
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It should be made part of the curriculum in schools again. Maybe 10- 15 minutes when school starts and 10-15 minutes when the kids go back after lunch. This will not only give them exercise, but settle them down for a few hours to learn.

Richard
said
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Less disciple at home is the main problem. Secondary is making physical education mandatory through all levels of school. Next, ensure healthy meals are encouraged - how can we make it so kids know they are cool if they eat well? Let's have some role models (celebrities) in society do tours in schools and tell them that eating well will help them live longer, happier more successful and fulfilling lives and makes you more popular and cool.

Zalia
said
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I have 2 kids ages 15 and 11 and are VERY busy with athletics.We take full responsibility for their activity. Both my husband and I work full time and our home is a busy one because we have always wanted our kids to be active. They cannot take soccer, swimming and gymastics unless WE can take them. It starts when kids are young . Dont expect your 15year old to start getting active then! Most will not unless there is a reason. Ultimately, its up to the parents to 'guide' their kids to being active. If parents aren't active, kids generally are not too. Most parents are too busy working and driving to and from work in my area to put their kids in extra programs because they have to be home to pick them up. The provinces need to create mandatory programs for activity and then the school boards to spend money to do them. Not line their pockets with our tax money. As a parent I am willing to pay for after school programs - but they dont exist. I am on a school council at my kid's school and they just dont have enough volunteers to run programs - whether teachers or parents. After school programs were all around when I was a kid, but now they are hard to find. The biggest problem is we are all too busy - our kids are suffering. I say to work on a 'National physical activity program' - not daycare. Otherwise our kids will all live shorter lives than us.

Homeschooler
said
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No kidding. The government makes them sit in schools all day long, they have long bus rides home. It doesn't leave them much time. We homeschool. It takes less than half the amount of time each day compared to the schools, and our kids are outside in physical play for hours the rest of the day. Less in the winter of course, but for hours in the spring, summer and fall. Our kids are quite physically fit.

Crusty Rusty
said
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to: LorraineH

All very good excuses .... But that's exactly what they are EXCUSES! Your priority should be those children.

kg1
said
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Promoting it is one thing, being able to afford some of the stuff is another thing. Sure walking, riding a bike etc can be on the cheaper side, but who can afford the sports that the govt gives tax credits for?

edoerksen
said
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This is new? This story only needed dates changed. We've known this for decades. Wasn't it in 1964 that it was reported that the average 10 year old in Canada was about as active and physically fit as the average 64year old Swede. So what else is new, and how you going to change it?

DM
said
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Amazing to see how righteous people are ..... you must be fit as a fiddle and standing next to Mother Theressa.
Everyone is to blame .... parents, children, lack of police (when was the last time you saw consistent and active policing when children are going to school), governments, schools ..... we all have a hand in building this mess. Stop griping about it, and get off YOUR butt and do something about it. Volunteer (that means doing something for free) at a community club or recreation center. Canvass the government for programs. Everyone needs to get out and be active, not just kids. Worried about perverts - me too - but I go out with my kids - I'm no different than they are.
Stop subscribing to cable companies - take that time and go outside. Take that money for a gym/YMCA membership. Video games are good for kids too - makes them think, and tunes some fine motor skills. However, limit their time. There's lots to do .... and we all can help.

Kate
said
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Many factors - expensive to sign up for sports even soccer, never mind hockey OMG. Lack of pick-up sports during lunch hour (we had in the 70's, it was either playing Volley Ball, etc., or RUNNING home to catch the Flintstones on CFTO) The streets have become more dangerous. Junk food in machines everywhere and everyone has spare change or they borrow. The few who walk are so glued to their smart phones - they walk so slow and can't even hear approaching cars. etc,etc.

bigpicture
said
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You have to appreciate the irony in it all. In one article, there are critics of how parents don't allow their kids to play outside enough due to safety conscerns. In another article (mostly about tragic incidents involving a child) there are criticism about how the awful parents were'nt watching their kids full time. Yet, when parent's get home from a tiring work day, they still need to make the supper, help their child to do homework, clean the dishes and the clothes, and hopefully, MAYBE there is time left for them to relax. If the child is outside playing, then the adult can't do anything except watch his kid so nothing happens. So what to do then? Should we all just hire a nanny?

RedneckVic1
said
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For people to say this is the governments fault is totally absurd! It the fault of parents not knowing how to be a parent or parents that are just to LAZY to do things with there kids. It is time for parents to start taking control of there responsibilities (there kids) the government did not make them have kids and the government should not be raising them!

karen
said
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The problem is with pedophiles. Our kids can't go to the park, ride their bikes, join sports, walk to the store, go to camp without being put at risk. We do nothing about the preditors in this country, there is no cure for them so lock 'em up for life. Instead we give them a slap on the wrist and lock our children up. It has nothing to do with fitness, and everything to do with their safety.

Shayne
said
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I sit all day long and am skinny as a twig. It's what you eat not what you do. These doctors don't know anything about weight loss. This is proven by the obesity epidemic you see while at the marketplace. Just don't eat as much! simple as that. Its unbelievable people have to resort to government intervention because they don't understand life.

said
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I blame Stephen Harper - it MUST be his fault! If the Liberals were in charge we would have billions of dollars funding state-run athletic programs with mass school-yard exercises and loud speakers and grey uniforms and everyone bouncing their ball at the same rhythm...

Mike in Ottawa
said
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This is all Harper's fault!!!The government should take steps to fix this. Start with the parents. Once they learn how to stay in shape, they will teach their children. This way we're all going to live longer and healthier, and guess what, we'll spend less on health care and have more money for education.Here's what I propose: - every government employee who needs a parking spot will be charged 20,000 a year for it. Motivate them to bike or run to work.- every government employee should run 2 miles every morning and 2 more in the afternoon, while carrying a backpack full of wet sand. And a nice 10 mile run on Saturdays and Sundays. Those who don't like it will get glowing reference letters so they can find work in the private sector. There's too many of them anyway.

Jane Deer
said
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Hard to get lots of exercise when Canadian children and parents are up to their armpits in snow for six months of the year; cannot afford to join a gym; can't let the kids play "on the street" as we used to - with kidnappings, drive by shootings etc. Also, we were thin not only because we had no car, no snow etc., but we DIDNT EAT AS MUCH - no snacks, desert only on Sundays - a treat was an apple!

realist
said
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Get a dog - a good sized dog must be walked twice a day - that's a MINIMUM of an hour of exercise every single day, rain or shine. With our dog, the minimum hour is just the walking alone - doesn't include all the yard time (playing ball, etc.)

Anne
said
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Society as a whole has allowed this to happen. The majority of kids are bussed to school and most families have both parents at work. Subdivisions are built that force us to drive everywhere - nothing is within walking distance. Parents are commuting a good hour each way to work, so weekends are used to catch up on all of the stuff that didn't get done during the week.
Family time to do anything, never mind physicial activity together is non-existent.
This has nothing to do with responsible parenting - it has to do with the fact that society has changed and none of these changes benefits the health of the family.

FB
said
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This is entirely the fault of the parents of these kids ... we society are "NOT" responsible for the welfare of your kids, so stop asking if enough is being done - get off the couch and do something with your kids!!!

Liv
said
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You can bet that the majority of these overweight, under exercised children are the result of overweight, under exercised parents!

Eric
said
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I agree with some of the previous posters that the parents should be stepping in. It's not just about physical activity at school, but before and/or after as well.

You need a license to carry a firearm, hunt, or even fish, but you don't need one to have children, yet there is more responsibility to being a parent and having children then there will ever be in carrying a firearm.

a parent
said
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In high school, gym class is only mandatory on Grade 9, 1 term only. It should be made mandatory for all grades, whole year, 2-3 times a week.

LorraineH
said
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@ Crusty Rusty: Unfortunately responsible parents are working and getting home, sometimes, after 6:00 p.m. Kids today do spend too much time in front of the TV, Computer and Video games. Closing community grade and high schools, increased busing and reduced walking to school don't help.

Parents enroll their kids in sports programs but that's not enough because it's not on a daily basis. We need Professional gym teachers but they are not hired and up-to-date gym/exercise equipment is not available. Schools need to cut out vending machine junk food and serve proper nutritious meals in cafeterias.

Some communities don't want kids playing street hockey and neighbours complain about noise. Sending younger kids to parks alone is not safe. During the week kids playing outdoors without a parent at home is not safe and, in the winter, by the time parents get home from work it's too late for outdoor play.

It's easy to say don't have kids if you can't afford them but if we all waited for that magic moment there would be no birth rate.

Diana
said
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This is the same finding they had when I was in elementary school. And thats about 40 years ago now. Get off your butts and stop the so called studies and do something about it. Use this money to offer free programes to the children for excercise.How about offering the leisure centers up. Or free sports at the community centers, it's not the parents not doing anything. It's the economy where a parent has been laid off and can't afford these things. Give the money to the churches to offer a programe of fitness. Oh my a simple solution is there instead of finding the problem ... find the solution and report on that ...

Ian Ottawa
said
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Why did this take so long. I knew it the day they took PT out of the schools.Morning Callisthenics as a school and outside at noon. The Instant Age was started in the schools.

Jesse Ter-Voert
said
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There should be physical activity in schools in the early years of a child's life, to give the children an understanding of exercise and the importance of being healthy. However, around Grade 5, Phys Ed class should be weaned away from the kid, while teaching them to exercise on their own.And this bullcrap about mandatory gym class in high school is stupid, especially this new module system they are bringing about in Manitoba. Encourage them to do physical activity outside of school, don't dangle their diplomas in front of them and say "Exercise or fail."

karen
said
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It is tricky and requires active planning by the parents - another thing not to be left to the school system. We have four kids and it takes a great deal of effort to ensure that they are meeting this requirement. We see it as a priority as opposed to an option and try to lead by example.

Ron
said
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Is it not the parent's responsibility to see to the needs of their children? Oh wait, we are living in a nanny state where the government knows better than the parents.

Crusty Rusty
said
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And exactly where are the responsible parents of these children? They mada a clear decision to bring a child into this world. They have a clear responsibility to give thier child their better than best effort to ensure that child grows up healthy and educated. Hmmm, responsible parenting what a novel idea.

meghan
said
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Perhaps what we need to do is re-establish the guidelines as to what constitutes physical activity. For example, if we considered chewing food in front of the TV, or clicking our computer mouses as calorie-burners, I'd say we would have a whole nation of healthy, active kids! (I think that I should take a breather after writing this message...whew!)

Ross
said
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No kidding kids are out of shape when the government takes away from most schools there gym classes it's time to wake up and bring it back to the schools.

Dan Ireland
said
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This stat is not surprising. Our children today are very lazy. They have all the electronic toys to keep them on the couch. I have been lucky in that my children have been active in sports all their lives. But my son has had his share of 9 hr shifts on the play station. And there are fewer people willing to give up their time to help out with children's activities. Many schools have cut down on the physical activities after classes.Remember; idol hands are the devils playground... Get active with your children, do things with them. You will all win in the end.

Jack - Ottawa
said
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This is complete baloney ! How about the 20 to 30 minute bus ride to and from school. Kids just can`t compensate for this lost of time. Excuse-me Dr Tremblay you are out of touch with reality. The answer is community elementary and high schools. No buses. Medical exam in school with follow-ups every year. No junk food in schools offered as rewards in school. Scrap phys-ed. It does not work. Hey who am I to know!