Being Active: Children and Young People JSNA (2024)

Physical activity throughout childhood is importance for many reasons. It supports physical and mental development, but also enhances cognitive function, concentration, and academic performance. It teaches important life skills like teamwork, communication, and discipline while reducing the risk of chronic disease in later life. 

Children who are more active are happier, more resilient and more trusting of others, but over half of our children and young people aged 5-16 are not active enough to enjoy these benefits, and activity levels among young adults (16-34) have also begun to decline. This is particularly true for girls, disabled young people, young people with long-term health conditions, those from less affluent families and youngsters from Black and Asian backgrounds. Current inequalities in sport and activity unfortunately start from a young age and they need to be addressed.

A child’s earliest years have a powerful influence on their later health status. Forming positive habits and associations with being active are vital. Research suggests that parents and carers play a key role, with insight from Sport England stating that “children with active parents – particularly mothers – are more likely to be active themselves…and children who have positive experiences of sport and physical activity early on are also more likely to prioritise being active in later life”. Children also need safe and appealing places to be physically active, such as parks, playgrounds and sports facilities, as well as opportunities in early years settings, schools and clubs which are engaging and inclusive.

As a society our level of physical activity continues to decrease, with numerous factors contributing to this. With children and young people this decrease is of great concern due to the benefits that physical activity has on health and wellbeing but also socially and academically. This JSNA shows a decline in participation as children reach adolescence and beyond, particularly for girls. Physically active children are more likely to be active adults but an increase in screen time and other sedentary behaviours is putting the activity levels of our future adults at risk. 

Further barriers of course exist including a lack of safe places to play; an absence of walkable neighbourhoods and cycling and pedestrian-friendly places which is limiting or discourage active travel; parental influence and/or peer pressure which can greatly influence a child’s decision to take part in physical activities; gender stereotypes and media influences which hinder engagement leave children feeling they need to look a certain way or that they can only participate if they excel at the activity. Cultural and socioeconomic factors such as family income and cultural norms can impact a child’s opportunities for physical activity along with time constraints due to other commitments. Also, the quality of the physical activity activities and/or education and its suitability to the cohort it is being delivered to can greatly impact engagement. 

This chapter has highlighted a move from unstructured to structured physical activity for many of our children and young people with changes in the types of activities children and young people want to take part in, which is key to increasing engagement and participation.