Physical Inactivity
The physical inability of both children costs Canadian taxpayers around $6.8 billion annually. This is around 3.6 percent of the health care costs offered only to children per year. This is the costs spent by the government as a measure of reducing the mortality rates for young children suffering from inactive diseases. The research conducted by Bouchard, indicates that the health of the Canadian children has deteriorated over the past few years. The most common health challenge being the obesity that has risen sharply where a quarter of the children and youth are overweight. This has affected their physical fitness hence they are physically inactive. Approximately 21% of the kids aged between 6 and 17 years are classified overweight or obese. This was an increase from the research that was conducted between 1981 and 1996 where the rate was around 15%. Currently, the Canadian children are heavier, fatter, rounder and weaker. Since the rate is so high, the research suggested that the environment factors are the main contributors but not the genetic factors. Automated labor-savings devices and inexpensive and ubiquitous access to calorie-dense food are the conducive environments for obesity.
The current obesity and fitness trends are high hence there is a need for a more objective ways of monitoring the activity levels in Canada. Health activities are the only solutions due to their health benefits to children and youth. Therefore, the more activities that are associated with children, the greater the benefits. Children should be engaged in vigorous physical activities that accumulate for about one hour every day as a measure of reducing the healthy problems associated with physical inactivity. Moreover, it is the role of the parents and government to elite people the importance of physical activities to children to reduce the government expense used for caring for obese children.
Sedentary behaviors are associated with obesity and metabolic health problems. However, it is challenging to measure the sedentary behavior among the children due to its broad range activities. Some of the inactive activities that have contributed to the obesity are sitting in class, watching TV at home, talking on phone and use of computers that take place throughout the day denying children a chance to involve in physical activities. Given that the large share of the time is spent on screens, the healthy issues associated with inactive activities will increase among the young children.
In conclusion, the cases of obesity are increasing each day, and the government has to come up with strategic measures to reduce the number of children affected and reduce the amount of money spent for curing those children.
