A healthy half-term in body and mind

With half-term coming up next week, parents are encouraged to support their children to stay active.

The Health Survey for England in 2022 found that almost a third of all children were either overweight or obese.

Alongside that, the Active Lives Children and Young People survey found in 2023 that less than half (47 per cent) of children and young people were meeting national physical activity guidelines.

An active lifestyle is one of the main pillars that support us to be both happy and healthy, with others including eating a healthy, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and getting good quality sleep.

Being active doesn’t have to mean taking part in sport all the time. Active playtime counts, as does walking, cycling, dancing – anything that gets our heart rate up and our  blood pumping around our body.

An active lifestyle is easier to maintain if it starts during our early years, so parents play a crucial role in establishing the lifelong physical and mental health of their children.

Habits formed in childhood can be very difficult to break, so it’s crucial that we make them good habits, whether that involves exercise, diet, sleep patterns or stimulating imagination through activities such as reading and games.

Activity is essential for our physical development, yet more than that, it also helps us to feel good, it improves concentration and learning and builds confidence and social skills.

National physical activity guidelines for children aged from five to 18 are that they should aim for at least 60 minutes of activity per day.

More information and guidance on what sort of activity has health benefits  and which activities are good for strengthening muscles and bones, can be found on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/