Playing sports together with a good friend mobilizes children to be more physically active and thus supports their health, report British scientists in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
With many children in the UK failing to follow the exercise guidelines, there is a need to identify new ways to motivate children to exercise, says Dr. Russ Jago of the University of Bristol, who led a study commissioned by the British Heart Foundation. BHF).
Encouraging children to exercise with their friends, especially outside of school, can bring about significant changes, adds the researcher.
The study was conducted among 472 children aged 10-11 who provided complete data on physical activity and time spent with their closest friend or colleague. It was found that children who actively spent time in the company of friends showed a higher overall level of physical activity compared to children who did not have this kind of mobilization.
These findings show that exercising with a friend or having a colleague who is a good role model in terms of physical activity increases the chances that the child will be in good shape. We know that people who exercise in childhood are more likely to carry this habit into adulthood, which lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, says Natasha Stewart of BHF.
In her opinion, this research shows that simple initiatives, such as motivating children to go jogging with a friend, can have a big impact on their health (PAP).