A study in the United States said that about half of preschool children do not spend enough time to play outside with their parents every day.
Though outdoor physical activity has a number of benefits for children, including preventing obesity.
In an interview with about nine thousand parents of children pre-school, less than half the mothers and only a quarter of fathers who claimed to take their children for a walk or play with them in the yard or garden at least once a day.
"Especially for parents who work outside the home ... not so easy to have outdoor play time with the kids every day," said Pooja Tandon, a pediatrician at the University of Washington in Seattle, who conducted the study.
Guidelines from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that children do at least one hour of physical activity every day for long-term health benefits such as helping to prevent obesity. Preschoolers also have to spend a few hours to play every day.
But while some parents may think that their children get enough time playing outdoors are currently in daycare or preschool, it is not always the case, said Tandon.
He and his colleagues used data from studies involving children who were born in the United States in 2001.
Together with some other information that is collected when the children were babies, the researchers, whose research is published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Studies, asked the parents of children ages pre-school how often they bring their children to play in outside the home last month.
Forty-four percent of mothers and 24 percent of fathers surveyed said that they bring their children to play outdoors every day. In the interview, half of the children playing outside the room or house at least once a day with one of their parents.
Though outdoor physical activity has a number of benefits for children, including preventing obesity.
In an interview with about nine thousand parents of children pre-school, less than half the mothers and only a quarter of fathers who claimed to take their children for a walk or play with them in the yard or garden at least once a day.
"Especially for parents who work outside the home ... not so easy to have outdoor play time with the kids every day," said Pooja Tandon, a pediatrician at the University of Washington in Seattle, who conducted the study.
Guidelines from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that children do at least one hour of physical activity every day for long-term health benefits such as helping to prevent obesity. Preschoolers also have to spend a few hours to play every day.
But while some parents may think that their children get enough time playing outdoors are currently in daycare or preschool, it is not always the case, said Tandon.
He and his colleagues used data from studies involving children who were born in the United States in 2001.
Together with some other information that is collected when the children were babies, the researchers, whose research is published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Studies, asked the parents of children ages pre-school how often they bring their children to play in outside the home last month.
Forty-four percent of mothers and 24 percent of fathers surveyed said that they bring their children to play outdoors every day. In the interview, half of the children playing outside the room or house at least once a day with one of their parents.
Security environment does seem to be an important barrier to play outdoors because nine out of ten parents said they felt safe environment. Girls and children of color spend less time playing outdoors as children whose mothers spent more time working outside the home.
Tandon and colleagues found that children who have regular playmates are more likely to play outdoors every day, perhaps because parents are alternately take the kids to the park to play - a good strategy for older people with limited time.
Tami Benham Deal, who studied the physical activity of children at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, said it was important to consider what types of activities that children do outside the home.
"They're probably sitting in a sandbox - they can spend 20 to 30 minutes to build sandcastles and tunnels," said Benham Deal, who was not involved in the new study, told Reuters Health.
"Parents encourage their children to be physically active and parents are aware of the purpose and benefits of physical activity as key factors that influence children's physical activity," he added. "It applies across the entire range spectrum " age."
Tandon and colleagues found that children who have regular playmates are more likely to play outdoors every day, perhaps because parents are alternately take the kids to the park to play - a good strategy for older people with limited time.
Tami Benham Deal, who studied the physical activity of children at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, said it was important to consider what types of activities that children do outside the home.
"They're probably sitting in a sandbox - they can spend 20 to 30 minutes to build sandcastles and tunnels," said Benham Deal, who was not involved in the new study, told Reuters Health.
"Parents encourage their children to be physically active and parents are aware of the purpose and benefits of physical activity as key factors that influence children's physical activity," he added. "It applies across the entire range spectrum " age."
Source : Taken from any source
