CSEP: The world’s first Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for children & youth
The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) has released world’s first Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for children and youth (5-17 years).
As reported on by csep.ca:
The new Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth encourage children and youth to “Sweat, Step, Sleep and Sit.”
“This is a long overdue step in the right direction,” says Dr Todd Duhamel, FKRM Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. “Research-driven guidelines such as these will provide greater health benefits.”
For optimal health benefits, children and youth (aged 5–17 years) should achieve high levels of physical activity, low levels of sedentary behaviour, and sufficient sleep each day. A healthy 24 hours includes:
- Uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night for those aged 5–13 years and 8 to 10 hours per night for those aged 14–17 years, with consistent bed and wake-up times;
- An accumulation of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity involving a variety of aerobic activities. Vigorous physical activities and muscle and bone strengthening activities should each be incorporated at least 3 days per week;
- Several hours of a variety of structured and unstructured light physical activities;
- No more than 2 hours per day of recreational screen time;
- Limited sitting for extended periods.
Preserving sufficient sleep, trading indoor time for outdoor time, and replacing sedentary behaviours and light physical activity with additional moderate to vigorous physical activity can provide greater health benefits.
The Faculty of Kinesiolgy and Recreation Management, along with the University of Winnipeg’s Gupta Faculty of Kinesiology and Applied Health, hosted the annual CSEP national conference this past October.
The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology is the resource for translating advances in exercise science research into the promotion of fitness, performance, and health outcomes for Canadians. CSEP sets the highest standards for qualified exercise professionals through evidence-based practice and certification.
For more information on the 24-hour movement guidelines, visit csep.ca