Anthony Piovesan
Spanish children spend 294 minutes per day on screens during weekends, according to an alarming new study.
The 2022 PASOS Study on Physical Activity, Sedentarism, Lifestyles and Obesity in Spanish Youth followed a previous study from 2019, which tracks obesity incidence rates and other health indicators among Spanish children.
The study found more children were being sedentary during weekends, with Spanish young ones spending on average 294 minutes per day on screens.
The findings also noted a decrease in healthy eating habits between 2019 to 2022, measured in Spain by adherence to Mediterranean diets.
It found that one in three children aged 8-16 years experience overweight or obesity.
As part of a broader look at wellbeing, the study found 40% of girls aged between eight and 16 felt worried or unhappy.
Spain leads all countries of the European Union in obesity, with four out of ten girls and boys living with obesity or are deemed overweight.
Obesity has also doubled in girls and adolescents in the past 20 years.
Spanish president Pedro Sánchez, High Commissioner against Child Poverty Ernesto Gasco and co-founder of the Gasol Foundation, Pau Gasol, have presented a cross-cutting plan to reduce childhood obesity by 25% by 2030.
The National Strategic Plan for the Reduction of Childhood Obesity has more than 200 measures that will follow six key steps; promote physical activity and sports, promote healthy eating, promote emotional well-being and adequate rest, promote healthy lifestyles, protect children’s health and create a cultural shift towards healthy lifestyles.
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