Sofa so bad for UAE kids

Eight out of ten of teenagers in the UAE are couch potatoes who face a future of health problems if their lifestyle does not change, according to a new report

A survey of 9,916 children aged between 13 and 15 revealed that just 22 per cent of them got the level of physical activity experts say is vital to stay healthy - one hour five times a week

The research, carried out by the World Health Organisation and the Journal of Paediatrics, found that the country’s youngsters are instead spending at least three hours a day watching television, playing computer games or other “sitting” activities.  

Children are turning into couch potatoes

Girls in the UAE are lazier than boys, a new survey has revealed, although both sexes need to ditch the remote control and lace up their running shoes if they want to avoid a future of health problems, the study showed

The survey of 9, 916 children across the country, carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Journal of Paediatrics (JPed), revealed that only 22 per cent got on their feet and worked up a sweat for an hour five times a week - the level of exercise experts say is vital to stay healthy

The research, which saw teens aged between 13 and 15 questioned, found that 82 per cent of girls and 73 per cent of boys spent at least three hours a day watching television, playing computer games or other “sitting” activities. 

Youngsters were also quizzed on their journey to school to determine how their fitness was being affected.  

The report showed that fewer than one in five teens walked or cycled to school

UAE doctors, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education have been running awareness drives for nationals to warn families of the dangers of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle

Statistics show that 12 per cent of under 16s in the UAE are obese while a further 20 per cent are overweight or at risk of becoming too heavy

It is now estimated that one in four people suffer from type II diabetes as a result of poor diet and lack of activity.  

Dubai paediatrician, Dr Alya Ahmed, said obesity is still not viewed as a disease in the UAE despite the serious health implications it brings

She said: “In the UAE we are still at the awareness stage with childhood obesity, people do not see it as a disease yet

“It is the responsibility of parents, doctors and teachers to act to prevent children from becoming overweight by encouraging them to exercise and eat healthily.”

The WHO’s Regina Guthold, one of the authors of the global report, said the UAE’s youth are not alone in their level of activity as the results were mirrored in many countries across the world.  

“Even with the limitations that questionnaire data (suffers) from, I guess it’s pretty safe to say that we have a huge problem with physical inactivity among schoolchildren around the globe and that we should take action,” said Guthold. “With regards to physical activity levels, we did not find much of a difference between poor and rich countries,” Guthold said

“Growing up in a poor country does not necess-arily mean that kids get more physical activity.” In the UAE, child obesity has been blamed on a high-fat diet of processed food, the favouring of television and computer games as entertain-ment and the reliance on cars to get around

The study surveyed 72,845 schoolchildren from North and South America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The children were surveyed between 2003 and 2007.  

Girls were less active than boys in each of the 34 countries questioned, apart from Zambia. 

Uruguay had the highest percentage of active boys, at 42 per cent, while Zambia had the lowest, at eight per cent

Indian girls were the most active, with 37 per cent meeting exercise recommendations, while girls from Egypt were the least, with just four per cent per cent getting adequate exercise. Want to find out more about child physical activity ?

Children in Myanmar were the least active, with 13 per cent of boys and eight per cent of girls classified as sedentary. The most sedentary nations were St Lucia and the Cayman Islands