B.C.’s kids are not meeting Canada’s movement guidelines or getting enough sleep: study

It may come as no surprise, but young people in B.C. are not moving and sleeping enough.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia conducted a survey of more than 26,000 children in grades 6 to 8 and found that only four per cent are meeting Canada’s recommendations for daily movement.

According to Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, children should be getting at least one hour of physical activity, eight to 10 hours of sleep and no more than two hours of recreational screen time a day.

The findings, published on Tuesday, found that “excessive recreational screen time” is by far the biggest challenge. Only 14 per cent of children met the daily screen time recommendation, although 26 per cent met the guidelines for physical activity and 73 per cent for sleep.

Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, adopted in 2016, were the first in the world to integrate guidelines for physical activity, sleep and limits to sedentary time. The World Health Organization later adopted the guidelines.

While the guidelines were linked to better physical health, this new study found that children who met more of the movement guidelines reported better mental health and well-being.

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“We see significantly better mental health for youth who meet all, or even some, of the movement guidelines,” lead researcher Dr. Eva Oberle, associate professor at UBC’s Human Early Learning Partnership within the school of population and public health said.

“Interestingly, sleep was the strongest factor associated with better mental well-being—highlighting the importance of young people getting a good night sleep. Of course, the movement behaviours are interconnected. If you are physically active, you sleep better, and long hours on screens can interfere with sleep.”

The study found that girls appear to have the biggest gains in mental well-being when they meet sleep, screen time and movement behaviours.

Parents, caregivers and educators are encouraged to help young people meet any of the guidelines, even if it means adding a walk after dinner or ensuring access to physical education in schools year-round.

“As a parent myself, I know how challenging it can be to find balance, and every family is going to have their own strategies that work for them,” Oberle said.

“But generally speaking, it’s much easier to promote positive activities than to restrict screen time. If kids are engaged in activities—whether it’s sports, music, crafts, outdoor play or even biking to school—they naturally spend less time online.”