lifestyle may damage their long-term health.
Dr John Reilly, lead researcher at Yorkhill NHS Trust's department of human nutrition, told a conference held in Aberdeen last week that the young Scottish children who took part in the research were just as sedentary as American adolescents, who a recent study found to be immobile for 80 per cent of the day. The children's activity levels were equally low at nursery and at home.
Supported by funding from the medical charity Sport Aiding Medical Research for Kids (SPARKS), Dr Reilly and colleagues from the University of Glasgow studied a representative sample of 104 Glaswegian three-year-olds using small activity monitors, which they wore on their waists for three days. A year later, in 2000, the children were studied again. The changes over the year were small, suggesting that physically inactive lifestyles become entrenched early on.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
