Exercise, sleep, screens: new guidelines for children under 5 years

"We had never received any recommendations for under-fives," said Juana Willumsen, an expert in the WHO's Department of Noncommunicable Disease Prevention, who helped develop new guidelines.

Previously, WHO proposed guidelines for older people. In 2010, the agency released comprehensive recommendations on physical activity for health, making recommendations for three age groups: children aged 5 to 17, adults aged 18 to 65 and adults 65 and older.

The new guidelines for younger children are based on a systematic review of scientific evidence in published studies regarding the health benefits of physical activity, sleep and the limited time spent looking at screening screens in children. infants and young children.

"A group of experts is reviewing the evidence and proposing recommendations," Willumsen said.

"We felt it was really important to gather the new evidence and produce these guidelines to help policy makers, those who are developing early childhood policies, or advising parents and educators." "she said. "We are finding that childhood obesity rates are increasing dramatically and it is becoming increasingly evident that prevention needs to start early."

The new guidelines indicate that improving physical activity and sleep in young children, while limiting sedentary behaviors, is associated with a reduction in fatness or body fat.

Overweight and obese children may remain obese in adulthood, exposing them to a risk of developing noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to WHO.

The WHO recommends children under 1 year old to be physically active several times a day, in different ways, with a ground game and at least 30 minutes of play on their stomachs.

The guidelines also recommend that babies are not tied – for example in a stroller, in a high chair or on the back of a caregiver – over an hour at a time.

When the child spends too much time sitting, the WHO recommends reading or telling stories with a caregiver – the time spent in front of a screen is not recommended for this group of people. ;age.

In these guidelines, the time spent on the screen means watching passively entertainment on a screen, for example on a TV, computer or mobile device.

The WHO also recommends infants from 3 months of age or younger to have between 14 and 17 hours of quality sleep a day, including nap. Those aged 4 to 11 months should have 12 to 16 hours.

Children between the ages of 1 and 2 must also sleep enough each day: between 11 am and 2 pm, including naps, as directed.

The guidelines also recommend that these children spend at least 180 minutes a day on various physical activities.

"Physical activity has the most impact and the 180-minute recommendation for physical activity for children over one year is actually a return to active play. We do not recommend not structured exercise, "Willumsen said.

"It's really about making sure that children have the opportunity to play actively," she said. "It's the way kids learn."

Children in this age group should not be tied more than one hour at a time, as directed. Screen time is not recommended for 1-year-olds and guidelines recommend limiting it to one hour per day for 2-year-olds.

According to the guidelines, the duration of projection should be limited to one hour per day for children from 3 to 4 years.

The WHO also recommends these children to sleep every day between 10 and 13 hours, which may include a nap.

The guidelines recommend that children in this age group devote at least 180 minutes a day to various physical activities, including at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, such as playing games. outdoors requiring a run or frequent jumps. .

The new guidelines are "simple" and "give parents certain parameters to follow when it comes to sleep, physical activity and limiting the amount of time they spend in front of a screen," said Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician in Atlanta. of the American Academy of Pediatrics. was not involved in the WHO guidelines.

The guidelines are comparable to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. For example, the academy also recommends avoiding the use of digital media in children under 24 months of age and limit the screen time to one hour per day for children. children from 2 to 5 years old.

"Too often, I see tired, overworked kids who eat on the go during the week and become sedentary on weekends because they are exhausted.These guidelines are a good reminder of how to stay healthy at long term, "said Shu author of the book" Going home with his newborn: from birth to reality "

"Keep these guidelines in mind when planning your child's daily routine, make sleep and exercise a priority," she said. "By working first on these aspects, the time spent in front of a screen and sedentary behavior should naturally remain quite low."

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