FACTS and FIGURES
Guidelines for Children
CANADIAN 24-HOUR MOVEMENT GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH:
An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
These guidelines are relevant to apparently healthy children and youth (aged 5–17 years) irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, or the socio-economic status of the family.
Children and youth are encouraged to live an active lifestyle with
a daily balance of sleep, sedentary behaviours, and physical activities that supports their healthy development.
Children and youth should practice healthy sleep hygiene (habits and practices that are conducive to sleeping well), limit sedentary behaviours (especially screen time), and participate in a range of physical activities in a variety of environments (e.g., home/school/community; indoors/outdoors; land/water; summer/winter) and contexts (e.g., play, recreation, sport, active transportation, hobbies, and chores).
For optimal health benefits, children and youth (aged 5–17 years) should achieve high levels of physical activity, low levels of sedentary behaviour, and sufficient sleep each day. A healthy 24 hours includes:
For those not currently meeting these 24-hour movement guidelines, a progressive adjustment toward them is recommended. Following these guidelines is associated with better body composition, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness, academic achievement and cognition, emotional regulation, pro-social behaviours, cardiovascular and metabolic health, and overall quality of life. The benefits of following these guidelines far exceed potential risks.
These guidelines may be appropriate for children and youth with a disability or medical condition; however, a health professional should be consulted for additional guidance.
The specific guidelines and more details on the background research informing them, their interpretation, guidance on how to achieve them, and recommendations for research and surveillance are available at www.csep.ca/guidelines.
MODERATE TO VIGOROUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
An accumulation of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity involving a variety of aerobic activities. Vigorous physical activities, and muscle and
bone strengthening activities should each be incorporated
at least 3 days per week;
LIGHT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Several hours of a variety of structured and unstructured light physical activities;
Uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours
of sleep per night for those aged 5–13 years and 8 to 10 hours per night for those aged 14–17 years, with consistent bed and wake-up times;
No more than 2 hours per day of recreational screen time;
Limited sitting for extended periods.
Preserving sufficient sleep, trading indoor time for outdoor time, and replacing sedentary behaviours and light physical activity with additional moderate to vigorous physical activity can provide greater health benefits.