Just 26 per cent of girls between 15 and 17 years old are regularly physically active, a conference was told yesterday. The conference was organised by the National Heart Alliance, who are encouraging "one hour per day" physical activity for children aged between five and 18.
Age and gender are strong determining factors in the amount of exercise taken by young people. Between the ages of nine and 11, 63 per cent of Irish children are considered physically active, but this decreases to 40 per cent for all young people between 15 and 17.
Opening the conference, the Minister for State for Health and Children, Ms Mary Hanafin, said there was a need to establish why girls were less likely to exercise than boys and to promote activities that girls were more likely to participate in.
Mr Nick Cavill, a consultant to the British department of health, said this was partly because boys were more likely than girls to see sport as part of their identity.
He also said there was evidence that physical inactivity was a higher contributing factor to heart disease than smoking. He said children needed to "establish a healthy lifestyle, aiming to optimise the likelihood that this will carry through to adulthood".
He said it was likely that physically inactive children would not change this habit as they grew older.
He said it was important to remember that the one hour per day goal "is not running or in the gym or physical education class. This is the entire day's activities."
Ms Marie Therese Crotty, co-ordinator for the National Heart Alliance, said the alliance was promoting enjoyable, recreational activities, so young people would have a positive experience of exercise.