A new study out of the University of British Columbia says youth in B.C. are struggling to meet guidelines when it comes to physical activity, screen time and sleep, which could negatively affect mental health.
The survey, published in BMC Public Health, says only four per cent of more than 26,000 grade 6 to 8 youth polled are meeting Canada's daily recommendations for daily physical activity, sleep and screen time.
No more than two hours of recreational screen time is recommended; only 14 per cent of survey respondents met that target while 69 per cent hit the recommendation for physical activity (one hour). Seventy-three per cent of respondents met sleep guidelines, which is eight to 10 hours per night.
“It’s quite concerning to see how few children are meeting all of the daily recommendations," UBC Human Early Learning Partnership associate professor Eva Oberle said in a news release.
“But the biggest standout is screen time. It’s a hard recommendation for today’s kids to meet because many rely on their phones for communication, connecting with friends, gaming and entertainment.”
Previous research has linked the country's 24-hour Movement Guidelines, released in 2016, to better physical health. The new UBC study shows youth who meet more of the guidelines reported higher optimism, greater life satisfaction as well as fewer symptoms associated with depression.
The study also showed girls have the biggest gains in mental health well-being when meeting the guidelines.
“There are some key differences between girls and boys, so we need to be considering specific interventions that would benefit each group,” Oberle added.
“We know, for instance, that social media use among girls can have a greater negative impact on mental health, which could be why we’re seeing such notable well-being gains when girls meet the movement guidelines.”
Researchers are hoping the newly released data will help conversations between parents, educators and policymakers about how youth can be better supported when it comes to healthier daily routines.
