Adolescence, a decisive period
After childhood where physical activity is spontaneous, a “dropout” can occur during adolescence. Thus, today we see that 2/3 des adolescents expose themselves to a high health risk by practicing less than 60 minutes of physical activity and spending more than 2 hours in front of a screen each day. The level of sedentary lifestyle, i.e. the time spent sitting or lying down in front of a leisure screen, is even higher among young people from the least privileged backgrounds and among the oldest adolescents (15-17 years old). . Inequalities also exist between boys and girls since fewer of them practice 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Adolescence is, however, a pivotal period during which the habits acquired tend to be perpetuated or even accentuated in adulthood with associated effects on health.
Effects on physical and mental health
While physical activity generally leads to health benefits, inactivity certainly exposes you to a risk. In Europe, a million deaths (PDF) per year is attributable to physical inactivity. Being active undoubtedly allows you to live longer, but live better also: self-esteem, lower level of anxiety, stress or even the risk of depression, etc.
The scientific data are robust enough to carefully consider the effects of activity in terms of preventing chronic pathologies, including certain cancers. THE profits extend well beyond the simple interest of increased energy expenditure: systemic, hormonal or metabolic effects of physical activity, effects on circadian rhythms and sleep quality, etc. And, there is no need to achieve long physical activity times or high intensity levels: the benefits of physical activity exist from the first minutes.
“Being active” is not just “playing sports”
In its most common sense, physical activity covers, wrongly, only sports practice. Physical activity certainly includes sport but also any movement of the body. Getting around on foot, playing outdoor games, carrying a load or going up or down stairs also contributes to daily physical activity and allows different types of stress that must be targeted: cardio-respiratory, muscle strengthening, flexibility, etc Physical activity must be understood as integrated into all social and individual activities in order to hope to derive the greatest benefits from them. Thus, strong issues appear in any context: school environment, leisure, transport, etc. It is therefore no longer just time exclusively dedicated to physical activity that should be targeted, but any opportunity to “get active”.
Take action for physical activity et physical inactivity
A sedentary lifestyle is now considered distinct from physical inactivity, with its own effects on health. These two levers should therefore be taken into account: increasing physical activity et reduce sedentary behavior.
The reduction of the total time spent sitting is targeted by taking care to shorten the continuous sedentary time by frequent breaks, getting up, walking, etc. Young populations require special attention for both physiological and educational reasons. Allow the child to reach a minima his level of spontaneous physical activity will help prevent sedentary behavior from becoming learned.
Create an environment conducive to behavior change
In order to achieve individual objectives, in a complementary and sometimes decisive way, it is up to a collective responsibility to propose a environment conducive to movement, in space but also in time. Among the factors related to the physical environment, pedestrian potential such as the development of cycle paths, undoubtedly have a positive influence on behavior today. Physical education and sports in the school environment also has a major role to play in giving children and then teenagers a taste for physical activity and the acquisition of motor skills that will promote their commitment to physical activity at the age. adult
To give a social value to physical activity, adopting an integrated vision which takes into account the child and the adolescent as a whole and in his relationship to his environment, would contribute to modifying his behavior and would constitute an investment for his future.