Young people reveal motivations to move as screen time “explodes”

A survey of more than 1,000 children and young people aged seven to 14, conducted with kids and family insight agency, Beano Brain, has revealed the latest views and habits of the next generation when it comes to being active.

Two-fifths of children want to be more physically active than they currently are but some report spending six hours a day glued to their devices when not at school, according to research by ukactive.

Only 26% of children sampled said they’d want to be on a screen over taking part in physical activity and 40% said that they want to be more physically active than they currently are.

However, over half of the seven to 14-year-olds sampled (53%) are using screens for more than three hours each day when not in school, with almost a quarter (24%) of 11 to 14-year-olds spending more than six hours a day on devices. Spending time on screens increases as children get older, but their time being active does not.

Evidence shows that children and young people who are more active have more confidence, higher self-esteem, less anxiety and stress, better social skills and better academic performance. And widely published evidence shows that physical activity is essential in preventing over 20 chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and many types of cancer.