New research released today reveals that over half of British children are spending 20 times longer in front of a television or computer screen than they do playing sport – the equivalent of almost two whole days a week outside of school hours.
In response, Olympic 400m Gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu is today launching a whole new approach to grassroots sport – the Aviva UKA Academy – designed to provide opportunities for every child in the UK to get active.
The Academy will house six different schemes which aim to engage children regardless of age, level or ability, and will include teacher training tools, after school and summer holiday programmes, and disability sport schemes.
The in-depth report reveals:
· A ‘collapse’ in sporting participation amongst 12-16 year olds across Great Britain
· Teens spend just two hours per week playing sport, compared to 45 hours in front of the TV or computer
· The report indicates that parents are not assuming enough responsibility to guide their children into physical activity
With government statistics warning that by 2050 some 90% of today’s children will be overweight; 25% will be classed as obese; and one in six categorised as chronically obese, the decline in sports participation in children threatens to have enormous long-term impact on our society.
For further information on the Academy go to www.uka.org.uk
