Thai kids received a nearly failing score on a recent international report on children around the world and exercise.
The Active Healthy Kids Report Card compared the physical activity of kids in 38 countries. On a scale of “A” grades to “F” grades, young Thais got a D-. At the active youth in Slovenia, who got an A-; New Zealand, who got a B-; and Zimbabwe, who got a C+.
Mark Tremblay, chair of the Active Healthy Alliance, speaking at the International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health in Bangkok, said, “Kids need to get away from the computer and video games, go outside and play more.”
The congress, held over the weekend at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, hosted 800 physical activity professionals from across the globe, reported Bangkok Post.
The kids from the countries tested were rated on nine factors that included: average physical activity, playing organized sports, play that includes physical activity for transportation reasons.
The sectors where Thai kids did score well were: a B grade active transportation, meaning that over half of Thai kids take public buses, bike or walking as their method of getting to school.
Thailand also got a B for Thai parenting. Apparently 85.6 percent of Thai moms and dads tell their kids to exercise, and 32.8 percent do active play with their kids.
However, sedentary states were common for thai kids. 70.3 percent of youth aged 14 to 17 reported that they spend two plus hours daily looking at TV, computer or phone screens.
The low Thai grade was calculated by information collected from 16,788 kids that range from six to 17 years old. The information was collected last year from 27 provinces.
As advice to improve the physical activity of Thai youth, Tremblay said, “Giving more freedom [to] children to play outdoors can help them build their own confidence and ability to solve problems.”
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