The health benefits of regular exercise for children are manifold. Young people taking part in athletic activity see improved memory, less depression, build stronger muscles and bones, and have improved blood pressure and avoid spikes in blood sugar.
Exercise also helps to keep body weight in check, reduce fat and limit the longer-term risks of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases.
A worrying study by the University of Hong Kong, therefore, should be setting off alarm bells across the city. The research by the paediatrics and adolescent medicine department found more than 90 per cent of school pupils fail to get 60 minutes of daily exercise.
The study gathered data using special monitoring bracelets worn by students for several weeks during the 2023-24 academic year. Researchers found that only 7.4 per cent of those taking part in the study managed to do 60 minutes of medium to vigorous physical activity every day – the World Health Organization’s minimum for those aged five to 17. Nearly 20 per cent of primary school boys hit the target, compared with 6.1 per cent of girls, the data showed.
“Overall, the exercise level of children in Hong Kong is very insufficient,” said Patrick Ip Pak-keung, a clinical professor whose department conducted the study.
That, sadly, would seem an understatement. The problem, researchers say, is the overwhelming emphasis Hong Kong parents place on academic success. In addition, when they are not attending tutoring sessions, young people are more likely to be on their electronic gadgets than they are going for a run.
