Hypodinamy is the enemy of a modern child
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The abundance of all kinds of gadgets in the lives of modern children leads to a decrease in their motor activity. Specialists from the United States found that the average child today makes less active movements than the elderly person in 60 years.
A representative of the Johns Hopkins University analyzed data from more than twelve thousand children that were collected during 2003-2006. The purpose of the analysis was to find out how much the degree of child activity met the requirements of the World Health Organization.
Deficiency of motor activity may eventually lead to the development of serious pathologies, which include metabolic diseases, heart and vascular diseases, and even oncology. Scientists say that the beginnings of health problems people get even in childhood.
According to WHO recommendations, every 5 to 17 year old child's day schedule should include moderate or active physical activities lasting at least an hour a day.
However, when familiarizing themselves with the regime of the day of the interviewed children, it was found that most of them did not fulfill even the minimum physical requirements for their age.
"The degree of activity of children under 17 years of age is extremely low: by the end of the school, most of them suffer from hypodynamia. The level of their activity can be compared only with older people of retirement age, "says the doctor, a specialist in biological statistics.
As the scientist adds, for the average child, the main time for possible physical activity is the period from 14-00 to 18-00 (after finishing school). Therefore, the question of organizing free time for children should be asked of parents. Most often, fathers and mothers do not think about the consequences of hypodynamia and let things go by themselves: if the child is sitting in front of a computer or a television set, and he likes it, then there's nothing wrong with that.
Of course, this situation is comfortable, first of all, for parents: the son or daughter are at home, they do not need to worry about them. However, according to experts, there are more than enough reasons for experiencing. A hypodynamic child becomes flaccid, irritable with time, deteriorates or, on the contrary, increases appetite, sleep is disturbed, progress and ability to work is affected.
Children are at increased risk of obesity, atherosclerosis. Stagnation of blood in the vasculature leads to a deterioration of blood circulation in the organs and in the brain. Worsening processes of thinking, memory and concentration of attention. The muscular system weakens, which leads to violations of the spine and internal organs.
It is worth noting that the appearance of these signs indicates that the problem already exists. Therefore, preventive measures should be started long before the first symptoms are detected. And the parents of the child, and also his immediate entourage, are responsible for this, first of all.