Sedentary lifestyle in children

Edited by Dr. Stephanie Crozzolo

An educational challenge that involves everyone

Why are we getting fatter?

The fault of the lifestyle, which in the last 50 years has completely changed. The population, in fact, has become more and more sedentary (worrying data are those of the ISTAT which reports an increase in the sedentary population from 37.5% in 1995

to 41% in 2006) due to the marked urbanization and the widespread use of means of transport; simultaneously with a type of inadequate nutrition both from the point of view of amount that of quality.

On the one hand, technology and well-being have led to an increase in life expectancy (centenarians are no longer an "exception) and on the other they have created a lifestyle that gradually decreases the moments of physical activity (technology makes life more comfortable), creating collateral damage that over time has expressed itself, affecting both children and adults and the elderly alike, in a syndrome that is a mix of hypertension, overweight, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.

We understand how MOTOR PREVENTION is becoming, in recent years, a topic of primary importance in the world of fitness !!

Who should promote a healthy lifestyle?

Institutions must engage on this front, through targeted policies and strategies. The goal is to reduce the impact of chronic diseases. Governments are responsible for coordinating public health policies by removing those social determinants that favor the development of chronic diseases. The food industry and the mass media should transmit the culture of movement and healthy eating to the population. The school with health education programs but also and above all the parents themselves should be the first promoters of a healthy lifestyle.
The school is still slow to recognize the extraordinary educational and social value of sport. If we think that in Italian primary schools, physical education is not a curricular subject (not compulsory) this, in my opinion, is a serious reality that differentiates us from many European countries.
I work as a gymnastics teacher in several primary schools in my province and in recent years I have realized how today's children are profoundly different from yesterday's children, among whom I must also consider myself even though 25 years old. in the recreation I see children who almost no longer know the games of the past such as flag stealing, cops and thieves etc .; it is inevitable that the games change but it is shocking to observe that they almost prefer solitude, isolation through the use of video game rather than being with others running, jumping rope, playing hide and seek etc. In the hours of physical activity you can see the difference between the child who does sports compared to the child who does not have this type of experience but what I do not find normal, but worrying, is the absence of motor fantasy that characterizes the majority of cases.

I believe that motor literacy work must be done first and foremost at school, starting from primary school, with qualified and competent personnel and not from the mathematics teacher who improvises himself as such. The work of knowledge and motor experience must then absolutely continue in secondary schools middle and high schools, with programs that in my opinion should be re-studied, because unfortunately it often happens (in high schools) that gymnastics lessons are run entirely by students independently.
Motor activity represents a fundamental element of the psycho-physical growth of children, as well as a primary tool for protecting the health of young and old; therefore physical exercise intended as a "weapon to combat the risk of obesity and overweight that unites many little Italians.
On the other hand, if we think about it: the child gets up, we drive him to school, he sits at school, he sits at lunch, he watches TV or plays on the computer after lunch, in the afternoon they are often accompanied to endless activities planned by adults like English, music, theater then if he is lucky he will do an "hour of sport (finally he can express himself !!), then back home in the car, seated again for dinner, before going to bed on the sofa in front of the TV and finally under the blankets. So if we multiply this typical day by the following days of life, it is not difficult to understand how there are so many overweight children. But the typical day of a child today can

easily transform into an adult's day, which often is like this: we wake up, we go to work by public transport or by car, in this case we always look for the nearest parking, maybe we have an office job, we have lunch seated, we resume the our work, we go home, by car, we accompany the children from one place to another, we have dinner and end our day lying on the sofa.
It is easy to understand how, in recent years, overweight has become one of the main problems that afflict children and young people of school age. Childhood obesity is constantly increasing in populations with a high socio-economic level. This data should make us reflect, as A YOUNG OBESE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE AN OBESE ADULT.
It is clear that the lifestyle should be totally changed, but we will see that it is not as simple as it may seem, over time a vicious circle is established (see diagram below) different in psychological reaction between a family of sedentary people than a family of sportsmen or in any case with a correct lifestyle, where naturally motor activity is present; the consequence is that two different approaches will have to be adopted.

IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A CHILD TO HAVE LIVING HABITS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE HOUSE. An interesting fact is that if the parents are themselves overweight, the obesity of their children is not often considered by them as a problem. (See graph) *

* In these cases a multidisciplinary intervention

The obese child, due to his condition, has a tendency to exclude himself from normal play and motor activities. This causes a situation of hypokinesia thus establishing a vicious circle of inactivity: a reduction in motor skills that lead to a very high degree of inactivity determine a consequent increase in obesity. The vicious circle is fueled and supported by bad eating habits (snacks, chips and snacks between meals) and life (television, computer, videogames etc.).