Risks of Not Exercising

Include:

Circulatory System
Problems

Weight Gain

Diabetes

Joint and Bone Fragility

Depression

University of Maryland Medical

Centre (2014)

Sources:

Australian Bureau of Statistics.

(2015). Health. Retrieved
from Australian Bureau
Statistics:
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausst
ats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by
%20Subject/1370.0~2010~
Chapter~Obesity
%20(4.1.6.6.3)

Exercise and
Australias
Youth
The Detailed Truth
1.

Australian Sports Commission.

(2015). Virtual competition:
video games, children and
sport. Retrieved from ABS:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/s
portscoachmag/technology2
/virtual_competition_video_g
ames,_children_and_sport
Centre for Disease Control. (2015).
Childhood Obesity Facts.
Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyy
outh/obesity/facts.htm
Department of Education and
Communities. (2012).
Physical activity in NSW
Government Primary
Schools. Retrieved from
www.audit.nsw.gov.au/.../01_
PAB_Physical_Activity_Full_R
eport.pdf.as..
The Conversation. (2014). What do
Parents Fear. Retrieved from
The conversation:
http://theconversation.com/
what-do-parents-fearunwrapping-the-bubblewrap-generation-30467

The following will identify

how Australias youth are
being deprived of exercise.
It is based around three
main topics technology,
family activities and the
education system.

Exercise and technology:

Exercise in Schools:

Exercise at home:

With todays technological society

Australias youth are presented with
many alternatives to play inside rather
than out. It seems children nowadays
are swapping the soccer ball and cricket
bat for the gaming console controller.
According to the Australian Bureau of
Statistics (2003) 81.8 percent of children
aged between five and fourteen spend an
average of four hours playing video
games on weekdays alone. The
Australian Sports Commission explain
how Australias youth are now
participating in less physical exercise
due to the expanding exposure to video
games. The ASC (2015) also state how
popular video games are sports replica
such NRL, NFL, NBL etc. Although
these replica games provide the video
game players with a basis of rules and
techniques for certain sports, the ASC
(2015) believe that Australias youth
who cannot replicate these virtual
prowess of the certain sports will more
than likely retreat to the sofa.

In terms of students participating in

exercise in Australian schools certain
alarming stats have been proposed.
According to the Department of
Education and Communities (2012) it is
a requirement by the ACARA that
school students participate in 2 hours of
planned physical activity each week.
However according to the Department of

Another factor that is seen to be an influence on

the lacking of exercise by Australias youth is
the guidance of parents or carers. The Centre for
Disease Control (2014) states that childhood
obesity has tripled in the last 30 years and
currently one out of every three children is
considered overweight. With the main reason
being video games but it is up to parents/carers
to determine when suitable times for children to
participate in video gaming is. Another factor
that has influenced the lack of exercise in
Australias youth is what is known as bubble
wrapping by parents or carers. According to the
Conversation (2014) bubble wrapping refers to
the parents protecting their children but in the
process it can have negative effects on their
personal development in particular physical due
to parents preferring indoors play compared to
outdoors.

Education and Communities (2012) this

certain requirement is not monitored as
it up to the schools principal. With the
NSW Department of Health (2010)
conducted a survey and found that 30
percent of NSW schools did not deliver
two hours of planned physical activity or
sport a week. The following graph
identifies this decrease of exercise in
Australian Schools: