Parents: Don’t raise a couch potato!

Kids these days are not as active as we were in our childhood. They don’t play as much as we did and would instead rather watch Netflix and YouTube, play games on the Play Station, or be on their phones all day, every day. During the first hard lockdown, the restrictions made things even worse because no one could walk and jog, and children couldn’t join their parents while exercising. Research from McMaster University found that physical activity in early childhood may have an impact on cardiovascular health later in life.

Nicole Proudfoot, a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University and lead author on the study, says many of us tend to think cardiovascular disease hits in older age, but arteries begin to stiffen when we are very young. This is why exercise is important for children.

What the study says

Scientists followed the activity levels of hundreds of pre-schoolers over a period of years. They found that physical activity in children as young as three years old benefits blood vessel health and cardiovascular fitness and is key to preventing early risk indicators that can lead to adult heart disease. “It’s important to start any preventative measures early. We need to ensure small children have many opportunities to be active to keep their hearts and blood vessels as healthy as possible,” says Proudfoot.

Children need energetic play time

While the findings showed total physical activity had favourable effects on cardiovascular health, more intense physical activity was more beneficial, meaning that intensity matters. Brian Timmons, an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster and the Canada Research Chair in Child Health & Exercise Medicine, emphasises that “children benefit the most from energetic play and playing games such as tag.” He suggests that physical activity does not have to happen all at once and that children should be active on and off throughout the day.

Play to exercise

Play is the best time for kids to exercise. When children play, they exercise their bodies for physical strength, the fluidity of movement, balance, and coordination. You can encourage them to jump or skip or play hopscotch.

Let them tag along

When you go out to exercise, make it a family affair. The government recently allowed people to do certain exercises in parks, which allows you to take them out for a stretch. Just don’t forget to wear your mask when you go out there.