Survey shows young Kiwis becoming couch potatoes
25 September 2006
By MIKE STEERE
More than one in three young New Zealanders are doing less than two hours of exercise each week, a new survey reveals.
The results have increased concerns among health campaigners about the wellbeing of New Zealand's youth less than a week after the Government announced a $67 million package to combat obesity.
Completed by online research group 18 Ltd, the survey of more than 400 people aged between 14 and 30 showed 33 per cent of respondents did less than two hours exercise each week, with a further 7% admitting they did no exercise at all.
Dr Robyn Toomath, of Fight the Obesity Epidemic, said the results did not come as a huge surprise.
"I think that would be absolutely accurate. It is very concerning. We need to put more effort into making ways this (exercise) can more easily happen."
Toomath was pleased about the Government's announcement of more funding to fight obesity, but said more needed to be done to solve the problem.
"While it is good the Government is putting emphasis on this, it has been shown before that education campaigns do not have much effect," she said.
"We should continue to push the message to people that if they can do an hour of exercise each day then that is what they should be aiming for."
The World Health Organisation recommended one hour of exercise every day in order to keep fit and healthy, she said.
Partnership Health chief executive Carolyn Gullery said the organisation was launching a survey to find out how to get young women into more exercise.
"There is a drop-off with girls exercising and we want to find out why that is happening," she said.
The drop-off in exercise generally occurred in girls' high school years, she said.
The organisation, Christchurch's largest primary health group, planned to visit high schools to find out what the obstacles to exercising were for young girls.
Nicky Kelland, 19, who was bucking the trend of others and exercising daily, believed people could not be forced into exercising.
"You have to do it because you enjoy it," she said.
Kelland, a full-time Lincoln University student, said it was challenging trying to exercise each day.
If people were motivated, it was usually possible, she said.
"It can be difficult sometimes ... but I try to mix it up a bit. I go running some days and I do a bit of mountain biking too."
She was motivated to exercise simply in order to keep fit, she said.
Meanwhile, Sea 2 Sea – The Mainland Challenge, a Sport Canterbury programme designed to get people into at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, begins today with a community exercise class in Christchurch taken by rower James O'Connor.
Childhood obesity in New Zealand