Worrying levels of sedentary lifestyle among students in Cyprus, research shows

Worrying levels of sedentary behavior among students in Cyprus, the HBSC survey carried out in the period 2021-2022, with the participation of approximately 4800 students, identifies. As it turns out, the older the students, the more sedentary time increases and the physical activity time decreases.

In the HBSC survey, which is organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) every four years with the participation of 51 countries, Cyprus participates for the first time for the period 2021/22, examining the behaviors of students in primary, secondary and upper secondary schools, in a total of 4800 children.

In the context of the survey, among 15-year-old children, it emerged that more than one in four children (28,6%) sit for a long time or almost continuously. Accordingly, for children aged 11 this percentage is 20,4% and for children aged 13 23,2%.§1

The same figures also state that almost half of children spend at least two hours, every day, playing games on a computer, game console, tablet, smartphone or on the TV, or using a computer and other electronic devices to access social networks, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

Also, more than one in three children (39,9%) spend the same amount of time (about two hours or more, per day) watching TV, DVDs or videos, including online videos on sites such as Youtube, etc., while almost one in five children look for information online or by browsing it.

Still, from the research results it seems that more boys prefer computer games, while more girls express a preference for using a computer to access social networks. Also, younger children are more likely to say that in their free time they spend about two hours or more a day playing computer games, etc. despite older children (11 years: 60,6%, 13 years: 55,6%, 15 years: 44,3%).

Within WHO criteria, physical activity for the majority of children

At the same time, the results of the survey show that about 2/3 of the children meet the WHO criteria for participating in vigorous physical activity (at least three times a week). On average, more than half of children (64,8%) exercise physically to pant or sweat at least 3 times a week

However, the average number of days of physical activity spent by 15-year-olds is lower compared to that reported by younger children (11-year-olds: 3,9 days, 13-year-olds: 4 days, 15-year-olds: 3,5, XNUMX days). It is also observed that boys respond more to WHO recommendations for physical activity.

Source: KYPE