• Portobello Community Council
  • c/o 14 Rosefield Avenue
  • Portobello
  • EH15 1AU
 

Physical Activity for Children aged 5-18 (Dr Catherine Calderwood)

Posted on: March 21st, 2016

 

I’m pleased to launch today the infographic http://bit.ly/1R9GGay for physical activity for children (aged 5-18) which has been developed collaboratively by the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs).  There is strong evidence that being physically active is beneficial for the health of body and mind.  The Chief Medical Officers of the UK released updated guidelines in 2011 that made recommendations about the amount, type, and intensity of physical activity that people should do to benefit their health.  In order to raise awareness of the physical activity recommendations for children and young people, it was agreed an infographic should also be developed to present the recommendations in a visual and comprehensible way. 

 

The recommendations for children and young people aged 5-18 are at least 60 minutes per day of physical activity, plus muscle and bone strengthening activities three days per week.  I hope the infographic encourages health and early years professionals to speak to children and young people about why it’s important to be active.  The infographic highlights some of the benefits of physical activity, such as building confidence and skills, improving concentration and learning, and improving sleep, as well as being good fun and good for health.

Please print or share the infographic widely to your networks.  As you may know the infographic which was produced on physical activity for adults, which was launched last year, reached a wide audience across the globe via social media.  Please retweet my Twitter feed @cathcalderwood1 with using the #sitlessmovemore hash tag and let’s see how far the power of social media can help us to get these important messages across.

 

 

Dr Catherine Calderwood

Chief Medical Officer