Table 2 Comparison of national physical activity recommendations for children and young people with the WHO recommendations
Country | Inactivity | Minimum recommendations | Further recommendations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General recommendation | Additional aspects | Bouts | Add. health benefits | |||||
Duration | Intensity | Frequency | Inclusion of vigorous intensity | |||||
WHO [22] | - | At least 60 minutes | Moderate- to vigorous | Daily | Should be incorporated at least 3 times/week | Activities for muscle strength and bone health at least 3 times/week | - | Amounts greater than 60 minutes daily will provide additional health benefits |
Austria [27] | If sitting more than 60 minutes, activity breaks recommended | 60 minutes | At least moderate | Daily | - | Activities for muscle strength and bone health at least 3 times/week, and additional activities to improve coordination and flexibility | No activity too short not to count | - |
Belgium [28] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate | Daily | More intense activity twice a week | - | - | - |
Denmark [29] | - | At least 60 minutes | Moderate | Daily | Vigorous intensity activities of 20–30 minutes at least twice/week for fitness | Vigorous intensity activities of 20–30 minutes at least twice/week for fitness, strength, mobility and bone health | Can be divided into shorter periods | - |
Finland | ||||||||
<7 year olds [32] | - | At least 2 hours | Vigorous | Daily | Only vigorous intensity activities recommended | Train on a daily basis fundamental motor skills in various settings and in a diversified way. Create an environment that encourages children to be active, remove obstacles to physical activity and teach how to move safely in different environments. | - | - |
7-18 year olds [31] | Avoid sitting for more than 2 hours at a time. Not more than 2 hours/day in front of entertainment media. | 1-2 hours | All-round exercise | Daily | - | Exercise for bones, mobility and muscular strength at least 3 times/week | At least 10 minutes | For optimal benefit even more exercise than this should be practiced. |
France [33] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | - | At least 3 times/week vigorous activities of at least 20 minutes duration of resistance muscle training | - | - |
Iceland [34] | Avoid inactivity and incorporate PA in daily life. Limit daily non-work screen time to two hours. | 60 minutes | - | Daily | - | Diverse activity that promotes fitness including strength | For example 10–15 minutes | - |
Ireland [35] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | - | 3 times/week strength training | - | - |
Luxembourg [36] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate | Daily | - | 2-3 times/week strength, flexibility and balance training | - | - |
Malta [37] | Decrease non-active time spent on TV, game consoles and surfing the Internet | 30 to 60 minutes | Moderate or vigorous | Daily | - | For best results, include aerobic training, resistance and flexibility exercises | - | - |
Netherlands [38] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate | Daily | - | At least twice a week activity for physical fitness (strength, agility and coordination) | - | - |
Norway [26] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | - | Activities should be as diverse as possible to develop all aspects of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory, muscle strength, flexibility, speed, mobility, reaction time and coordination) | Can probably be divided into shorter intervals | - |
Sweden [26] | - | 60 minutes | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | - | Activities should be diverse, i.e. include activities on cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle strength, flexibility, speed, mobility, reaction time and coordination | Can probably be broken up into shorter bouts | - |
Switzerland [41] | If sitting more than 120 minutes, activity breaks recommended | Adolescents 1 hour, younger children even longer | Equivalent to at least brisk walking or cycling | Daily | Several times/week activities for cardiovascular health | At least 10 minutes several times/week activities for muscle strength, bone health, cardiovascular health, flexibility and agility | At least 10 minutes | - |
United Kingdom [43] | ||||||||
0-5 years (pre-walking) | Minimize time spent being sedentary/restrained for extended periods (except sleeping) | Activity should be encouraged from birth, particularly through floor-based play and water-based activities in safe environments | - | - | - | |||
0-5 years (walking) | Minimize time spent being sedentary/restrained for extended periods (except sleeping) | 180 minutes | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | - | Movements of all the major muscle groups | - | - |
5-18 years | Minimize time spent being sedentary/restrained for extended periods | At least 60 minutes and up to several hours | Moderate to vigorous | Daily | At least 3 times/week | On at least 3 days/week vigorous intensity activities including those for muscle strength and bone health | - | - |