The importance of exercise to children has been highlighted in a number of recent studies and reports. It seems that childhood obesity has been rising at an alarming rate and that the lack of exercise is one of the key causes.

This feels, on the face of it, to be quite surprising. When we think of children we almost automatically think of them as being active and playing. Yet it’s clearly the case that many kids aren’t as active as they could be. Why might this be?

One reason might be the rise of technology. Technological developments have brought all sorts of new entertainment sources into our homes. This means that many kids are probably spending more time playing video games or using internet based activities.

Does this create a problem? It’s clear that many of the activities associated with the new technologies involve a minimal amount of movement. If these activities have taken over from traditional games then it undoubtedly points to a lack of exercise. (more…)