VicHealth report shows kids spending too much time on devices, not exercising enough

AN over-indulgence in screen time and shunning of physical activity may lead today’s generation of teenagers to become the first with a shorter life expectancy than their parents, a new report reveals.

MOST teenagers are active for less than an hour a day, and are instead spending more than three hours each day on their phones or tablets.

As a new VicHealth report reveals that 92 per cent of Australian teenagers are not meeting daily physical activity targets, health experts warn this may be the first generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

FAMILIES SHOULD AIM TO MOVE MORE

HOW DR CHRIS BROWN KEEPS FIT IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN JUNGLE

AUSTRALIAN KIDS FACING SLEEP CRISIS DUE TO EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME

The report further finds that while teens say they want to play sport as a stress relief, to improve fitness, make friends and learn skills, they are turning away en masse during adolescence because of competing time priorities, the pressure to perform and too much emphasis on winning.

With sport participation halving from age 15, a $6 million funding pool announced today will be launched to entice state and national sporting associations to help create modified versions of their sports that focus less on winning, and more on learning new skills and having fun.

VicHealth chief Jerril Rechter said it was vital barriers to making physical activity the easy choice were removed for this generation of teenagers, given the big role technology played in their lives.

Teens are putting themselves at risk by not exercising enough. Picture: Sarah Matray

“We’ve built sport infrastructure and the way sports operate on this old-fashioned way of how young people participate, but the world has changed,” Ms Rechter said.

“Teenagers also don’t want to feel like they have to prove themselves for limited places on a sports team. The old fears of being the last one picked absolutely resonate with those young people.”

Ms Rechter said the health consequences of inactivity meant these young people were setting themselves up for being at higher risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease in their lifetime.

“We’ve got a situation where we have a potential first generation with a lower life expectancy than their parents,” she said.

The funding round is aiming to create new versions of sports such Rock Up Netball, Social Sixes cricket and J-Ball, a modified hockey program.

[e-mail]