UK physical activity guidelines
• UK-wide (joint CMOs)
• Global evidence of the
health benefits
• Life course
• Includes sedentary
• Recommended amount
for general health
benefit
• Apply to all
Why the need for UK physical activity
guidelines for the early years?
• New evidence available
• Follow lead of other
major countries
• Previous children and
young people guidelines
not appropriate for
early years
UK physical activity guidelines: Early
years1
Guideline 1 (infants who cannot yet
walk unaided)
Physical activity should be encouraged
from birth, particularly through floorbased play and water-based activities in
safe environments.
Types of physical activity: Non-walkers1
Guideline 1
• Crawl, roll, play on floor
• ‘Tummy time’
• New movements using large muscle
groups
• Reaching for and grasping objects,
pulling, pushing and playing with other
people
• ‘Parent and baby’ swim sessions
UK physical activity guidelines: Early
years1
Guideline 2
Children of pre-school age who are
capable of walking unaided should be
physically active daily for at least 180
minutes (3 hours), spread throughout the
day.
Types of physical activity: Walkers1
Guideline 2
• Unstructured, physically active play
• Energetic play
• Develop motor skills (locomotor,
stability and object control)
• Active travel and everyday activities
UK physical activity guidelines: early
years1
Guideline 3
All under-fives should minimise the
amount of time spent being sedentary
(being restrained or sitting) for extended
periods (except time spent sleeping).
Sedentary behaviour1
• Sedentary behaviour refers to a group
of behaviours that occur whilst sitting
or lying down and that typically
require very low energy expenditure.
• Research is at an early stage and
consequences are not fully
understood.
• A risk factor for poor health
independent of physical activity.
Minimising sedentary behaviour1
Guideline 3
• Reducing time spent in highchairs,
infant carriers or buggies.
• Reducing time spent in front of the
TV or other screens.
• Replacing motorised travel with
active travel all or part of the way.
Active children… Active adults?
• Physical activity patterns established
in the early years persist at a
moderate level into the primary
school years
• Establishing a high level of physical
activity early on in life may have
implications for activity levels in
later childhood and beyond
Impact of physical activity on whole
child1
Health and wellbeing
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Promotes healthy weight
• Enhances bone and muscular
development
• Develops motor skills, movement and
co-ordination
• Improves cognitive development
• Supports learning of social skills
• Improves self-confidence
Impact of physical activity on the
whole child2-4
Health and wellbeing
• Essential component for energy balance
and weight control.
• Higher levels of inactivity are associated
with increased levels of obesity.
• Critical role in the brain development of
young children.
Impact of physical activity on the
whole child
Cognitive ‘thinking’
• Creativity and discovery
• Problem solving skills
• Good listening skills
• Enhanced memory skills
Impact of physical activity on the
whole child
Physical development
• Stamina
• Strength
• Mobility
• Motor skills
Impact of physical activity on the
whole child
Personal, social and emotional outcomes
• Fair play
• Co-operation
• Language and communication
• Confidence
• Optimism
• Resilience
• Sense of self belief
• Behavioural flexibility
Key messages: Early years1
Frequency: daily
Intensity: no specific intensity
Time: at least 3 hours
Type: physically active play
Factors influencing physical activity
• Physical activity is a complex, multidimensional behaviour influenced by
a wide range of factors.
• Young children have relatively little
control over their behaviours.
• Understanding the correlates of
physical activity is important in
changing behaviour.
Factors influencing physical activity:
Early years5,6,7
Demographic factors
• Boys are generally more active than
girls.
• Activity levels in this age group are
generally stable and do not change
significantly with age.
• Unclear whether a child’s ethnicity or
BMI/weight has an impact on their
activity levels between the ages of 05 years.
Factors influencing physical activity:
Early years6,7,8
Social/cultural factors
• A child who watches more television or
spends much of their time sitting may
have lower overall physical activity
levels.
• Parent-child interactions and role
modelling appear to encourage higher
levels of physical activity in young
children.
• A parent’s weight and physical activity
levels have mixed effects on their
children’s physical activity levels.
Factors influencing physical activity:
Early years6,7,8,9
Environmental factors
• Fewer children within a setting,
shorter breaks and more time
between breaks can increase levels of
physical activity.
• Children who spend more time
playing outdoors have higher levels of
physical activity.
Physical activity levels in England:
Survey data10
Based on the 2011 UK physical activity
guidelines, in England, in 2012:
• 9% of boys and 10% of girls aged 2-4
years were classified as meeting the
current guidelines for children aged
under 5 of at least three hours of
physical activity per day.
• 84% of children of this age were
classified in the ‘low activity’ group.*
Sedentary levels in the early years
• In the UK, for children aged 3 and 4
years, the average time spent being
sedentary is 10-11 hours a day11.
• In the early years, typical sedentary
behaviours might include watching
TV, travelling by car, bus or train, or
being strapped into a buggy.
Key recommendations for promoting
physical activity
Early years
• Planning and developing physical
activity initiatives.
• Working with parents and carers.
• Increasing physical activity in early
years settings.
Planning and developing physical
activity initiatives
Recommendation 1
• Develop initiatives that target adults
who interact with children in the early
years.
Recommendation 2
• Consult with parents and carers to
identify their needs and barriers.
Planning and developing physical
activity initiatives
Recommendation 3
• Use an integrated approach to help
target information at parents and
carers.
Recommendation 4
• Use multi-component approaches
when delivering information.
Working with parents and carers
Recommendation 1
• Provide parents and carers with
information on the importance of
physical activity and the adverse
effects of too much sitting time.
Recommendation 2
• Educate parents and carers about
what counts as physical activity.
Recommendation 3
• Create age inclusive promotional
materials for education and activity
sessions.
Increasing physical activity in early
years settings
Recommendation 1
• Ensure appropriate levels of
practitioner training and support are
in place.
Recommendation 2
• Partner with external agencies to help
practitioners develop their physical
activity knowledge and expertise.
Increasing physical activity in early
years settings
Recommendation 3
• Involve parents and carers both
directly and indirectly in the activities
to ensure they are also carried out in
the home environment.
Recommendation 4
• Offer more frequent short periods of
outdoor play.
Recommendation 5
• Provide more ‘activity friendly’
portable equipment.
Increasing physical activity in early
years settings
Recommendation 6
• Include adult-led activities to
improve motor skills.
Recommendation 7
• Use physical activity as a medium
through which to integrate all areas
of learning and development.
Recommendation 8
• Ensure a balance of free play and
adult-led physical activity
opportunities.
Policy levers
Health risk of sedentary behaviour
Sedentary behaviour in the early years is
associated with overweight and obesity
and lower cognitive development.
Overweight and obesity
Children who are overweight and obese
in the early years are more likely to
grow up to be overweight and obese as
adults.
Policy levers
Health and wellbeing benefits
Physical activity is central to optimal
growth and development in the under
fives.
Physical development
Physical development is now recognised
as being important to children’s overall
development in the early years in all
four UK early years curriculums.
Policy levers4
Brain development
Physically active play can contribute to
the development of many important
brain structures
‘In the early life period, interactions
and experiences determine whether a
child’s brain architecture provides a
strong or weak foundation for their
future health, wellbeing and
development’18
Implications for policy makers
• Promote physical activity through new
policy measures.
• Review early years curriculums and
consider how to incorporate physical
activity sessions.
• Ensure all families are able to use
suitable play areas in the local
communities.
Implications for practitioners
• Provide children with opportunities
to learn new skills.
• Ensure children have regular access
to equipment and the outdoor
environment/space.
• Modify break times to encourage
more focused sessions of outdoor
play.
Implications for parents/carers
• Provide opportunities for children to
be active daily, in a variety of outside
environments.
• Be an active role model by
participating in physical activity with
and without their child.
• Give both boys and girls the same
chance to try a variety of active play
experiences.
BHFNC resource: Early years guidelines
These booklets provide early
years professionals with:
• an overview of the guidelines
and the importance of physical
activity
• examples of the types of
activity suitable for infants
who are walking and not
walking
• ways to reduce sedentary
behaviour and promote
physical activity.
To download these resources visit
www.bhfactive.org.uk/earlyyearsguidelines
BHFNC resource: Practice briefing
This practice briefing is
designed to give
practitioners and managers
of early years settings
practical ideas for
promoting physical activity
with the under fives
To download this resource visit
www.bhfactive.org.uk/earlyyearsguidelines
BHFNC resources: Fact sheets
This series of three BHFNC fact sheets
provide on overview of the facts on
physical activity for the under fives.
To download these resources visit www.bhfactive.org.uk go
to early years --> our resources --> fact sheets
BHF resources: Parent leaflets
These leaflets are designed for
parents and carers and include
information on why being active
is important, what types of
activity are best and ideas for
active play at home.
To download these resources visit
www.bhfactive.org.uk and put Help
your child move and play or Help your
baby move and play into the search
box
You can also order hard copies by emailing
orderline@bhf.org.uk or calling 0870 600 65 66
BHF resources: Early movers
Helps early years practitioners
plan and organise physically
active play environments for
children under five. It supports
a whole setting approach to
physical activity and also
provides innovative ideas to
extend physical activity
provision.
To download this resource visit www.bhfactive.org.uk and
search Early movers
You can also order these resources by emailing
orderline@bhf.org.uk or calling 0870 600 65 66
References
1. Department of Health. Start Active, Stay Active – A report on physical activity for
health from the four home countries’ Chief Medical Officers. London: Department of
Health; 2011.
2. Chaput J, Klingenberg L, Rosenkilde M, Gilbert J, Tremblay A, Sjodin A. Physical
activity plays an important role in body weight regulation. J Obes. 2011;2011(Article
ID 360257).
3. Monasta L, Batty GD, Cattaneo A, Lutje V, Ronfani L, van Lenthe FJ, et al. Early-life
determinants of overweight and obesity: A review of systematic reviews. Obes Rev.
2010;11(10):695-708.
4. OECD (2007). Understanding the brain: the birth of a learning science. OECD 2007.
ISBN 978-92-64-02912-5.
5. Rudolf M. Tackling obesity through the healthy child programme: a framework for
action. National Obesity Observatory; 2009.
6. Hinkley T, Crawford D, Salmon J, Okely AD, Hesketh K. Preschool Children and Physical
Activity: A Review of Correlates. Am J Prev Med 2008 May;34(5): 435-41.
7. De Craemer M, De Decker E, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Vereecken C, Deforche, B, Manois Y,
Cardon G, on behalf of the ToyBox-study group. Correlates of energy balance-related
behaviours in preschool children: a systematic review. Obesity reviews 2012;13 Suppl
1:13-28.
8. Okely AD, Salmon J, Trost SG, Hinkley T. Discussion paper for the development of
physical activity recommendations for children under five years. Canberra, ACT,
Australia; Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Government of Australia;
2008.
9. Ridgers ND, Fairclough SJ, Stratton G. Variables associated with children's physical
activity levels during recess: the A-CLASS project. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2010,
7:74.
References
10. Health and Social Care Information Centre. Health Survey for England 2012.
Volume 1: Chapter 3 - Physical activity in children. Health and Social Care
Information Centre: Leeds; 2013.
11. Reilly JJ, Okely AD, Almond L et al. Making the Case for UK Physical Activity
Guidelines for Early Years: Recommendations and draft summary statements based
on the current evidence. Working paper. 2009.
12. The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyles Statistics. National Child
Measurement Programme: England, 2012/13 school year. Leeds: NHS Information
Centre; 2013.
13. Okely AD, Salmon J, Trost SG, Hinkley T. Discussion paper for the development of
physical activity recommendations for children under five years. Canberra:
Department of Health and Ageing, Government of Australia; 2008.
14. Timmons BW, Naylor P, Pfeiffer KA . Physical activity for preschool children: How
much and how? Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 32, 122–134; 2007.
15. Department for Children, Schools and Families. Statutory Framework for the Early
Years foundation Stage - Setting the Standards for Learning, Development and
Care for children from birth to five. Nottingham: Department for Children, Schools
and Families; 2008.
16. Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
Understanding the Foundation Stage. Belfast: Early Years Interboard Group; 2006.
17. Wales Assembly Government. Framework for Children’s Learning for 3-7-year-olds
in Wales. Cardiff: Wales Assembly Government; 2008.
18. Allen G. Early Intervention: the Next Steps, An Independent Report to her
Majesty’s Government. London: HM Government; 2011.