Canadian kids get 'D' letter grade for overall physical activity in report card
Canadians are dropping the ball when it comes to ensuring their kids are getting enough exercise.
A new report card issued by the non-profit organization ParticipACTION is giving kids across the country a “D” letter grade for overall physical activity.
That’s a decline from the last survey done in 2020, which gave Canadians a D+.
Only an average of 28 per cent of young people are meeting the physical activity recommendations within the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth.
For kids aged five to 17, that’s an accumulation of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
The 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth attributes much of the decline to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, there was a sudden and drastic shift in the ways kids could access physical activity opportunities,” reads the report.
Activities like playing with friends, in-person physical education classes, sport competitions and recreation programming were all stalled by public health measures.
The number of youth playing organized sports decreased in 2022 to just 57 per cent.
Seventy-three per cent of local sports organizations temporarily closed due to COVID- 19.
One out of five of these organizations may not recover without emergency support according to the survey.
TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME
COVID-19 also increased sedentary screen use, the report suggests.
Only 18 per cent of kids meet the Canadian 24-Hour Movement recommendations of no more than two hours per day of recreational screen time.
“The pivot to virtual learning and calls to stay at home transformed kids' screens from an indulgence into a necessity for education and a default for leisure-time behaviour creating even greater concerns for the many ways that screen time adversely impacts healthy movement behaviours and overall well-being,” reads the report.
As a result, Canadians dropped from a D+ to a F.
SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
While the country’s grade for overall physical activity decreased, there were signs of improvement in other categories.
Active play, which is non-organized or unstructured leisure activities, increased from a failing grade to a D-.
“A remarkable feat considering the strain many families experienced during the peak of the pandemic,” states the report.
Active transportation to get to and from places increased from D- to a C-.
Forty-six per cent of parents indicated through the report that their children either solely commute actively to school or commute partially in an active way.
The report card makes a number of recommendations for improving Canadians grades in all categories.
Those include better public messaging about the importance of exercise, more studies into Canadians’ exercise habits, and exposing children to a variety of different sports, or "sport sampling," as opposed to early sport specialization.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
'The Fall Guy' gives Hollywood a muted summer kickoff with a US$28.5M opening
"The Fall Guy," the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened below expectations with US$28.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, providing a lukewarm start to a summer movie season that's very much to be determined for Hollywood.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.