The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated shortfalls in children’s physical activity around the world, according to a new study – and Scotland is not exempt.
The report by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) compared 57 countries from six continents to assess global levels and trends in child and adolescent physical activity, resulting in the Global Matrix 4.0 comparison of grades.
The study gives the world an overall ‘D’ grade, representing success with fewer than half of children. Scotland’s rankings include B- – success with well over half of children – in Community and Environment, and Sport and Physical Activity, and C-, denoting success with about half of children, for Active Transportation and Government and Policy in Physical Activity.
The report finds that, in common with many higher-income countries, children in Scotland face inequalities in low physical activity, high levels of screen time, high obesity – as early as Primary 1 – and poor diet. In addition, while policies on activity and diet are of a high quality,…
