Too many hours watching television or playing on the computer could result in your child being clumsier than others, a study claims.
The research found that those who sat around for most of the day were up to nine times less likely to have normal levels of co-ordination.
Even simple tasks like hopping and jumping were seriously affected.
Interestingly, brief bursts of strenuous exercise did not make up for the damage apparently done by spending the rest of the day sitting. So, getting your computer-playing child out onto the grass for half an hour’s football mightn’t even be doing him any good.
The researchers said that, while it is important to encourage children to take part in sport, limits should also be set on the amount of time spent sedentary at a computer, television or games console.
They made the recommendations after tracking the movements of more than 200 nine and ten-year-olds.
The study tracked the children using a pedometer-like gadget to measure activity levels over five days.
The kids were also weighed and measured and were put through a battery of tests specifically designed to test their balance, speed, agility and co-ordination. These tests included walking backwards on a low beam, jumping from side to side, hopping over a stack of blocks and stepping from one box to another without falling off.
When compiled altogether, the results are seen as a measure of a child’s co-ordination.
On average, the children spent three-quarters of their time sedentary. This was defined as sitting, lying down or watching a TV or computer screen. The girls were less active than the boys.
However, the impact on co-ordination was greatest for the boys.
The girls who spent more than three-quarters of their time inactive were four to five times less likely to have normal co-ordination to those who sat less.
The couch-potato and game console-playing boys were five to nine times less likely to have normal co-ordination.
The Journal of Human Biology findings were legitimate even when the child’s height, weight and the amount of strenuous exercise done was taken into account.
The study is one of the first done to look at the effects of a lack of exercise on something as basic as co-ordination.
The researcher, Dr Luis Lopes, told the Daily Mail that good co-ordination has been linked to a healthy weight and heart, strong muscles and endurance.
“Childhood is a critical time for the development of motor co-ordination skills which are essential for health and well-being,” he said. He added that he believes governments should consider issuing guidelines on sedentary behaviour as well as advice on exercise and obesity.
