The Numbers Are In!
Over 10,000 students tuned out television for TV Turnoff Challenge
For the tenth consecutive year, children, youth, and families across the KFL&A area tuned out TV for the week of April 12 to 16, 2010. Numbers from this year’s challenge show that over 10,000 students from 50 local schools, including the Limestone District School Board, Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, and area private schools, participated along with families and 14 area daycares and 500 toddlers.
Winning schools for the 2010 TV Turnoff Challenge were:
“Research from the Active Healthy Kids Canada’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth shows that 87 percent of Canadian children and youth are not getting enough daily physical activity, which gave physical activity levels and screen time an ‘F’ grade,” said Debbie O’Grady, physical activity specialist with KFL&A Public Health. “This means that only 13 percent of kids are meeting the 90 minutes of accumulated, daily physical activity as recommended in Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth.”
The TV Turnoff Challenge goals are to encourage setting limits on screen time and promote physical activity. “Television and computers are great sources of entertainment, but physical activity is a huge part of living a healthy lifestyle. During the TV Turnoff Challenge, we want families to turn off their screens and participate in various activities to promote physical activity and help improve their health. It’s a message we want to send for the whole year and not just during the TV Turnoff Challenge,” said O’Grady.
Physical activity is a critical public health concern. With 87 percent of Canadian children and youth not sufficiently physically active for optimal growth and development, they are at risk for a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Research studies have also linked increased body mass index and a decreased level of physical activity to sedentary screen time behaviour.
“The TV Turnoff Challenge promotes goal setting and time management with respect to screen time,” said O’Grady. “We have included four 30-minute vouchers for screen-use during the week, which helps promote the three Ps of the challenge: practice turning off the screen, plan for screen time, and play—just get outside and play!” The TV Turnoff Challenge is coordinated by KFL&A Public Health.
Winning schools for the 2010 TV Turnoff Challenge were:
- 1st Place: Mother Teresa Catholic School
- 2nd Place: Bath Public School
- 3rd Place: Lord Strathcona Public School
- School with less than 100 students: St. James Major Catholic School
“Research from the Active Healthy Kids Canada’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth shows that 87 percent of Canadian children and youth are not getting enough daily physical activity, which gave physical activity levels and screen time an ‘F’ grade,” said Debbie O’Grady, physical activity specialist with KFL&A Public Health. “This means that only 13 percent of kids are meeting the 90 minutes of accumulated, daily physical activity as recommended in Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth.”
The TV Turnoff Challenge goals are to encourage setting limits on screen time and promote physical activity. “Television and computers are great sources of entertainment, but physical activity is a huge part of living a healthy lifestyle. During the TV Turnoff Challenge, we want families to turn off their screens and participate in various activities to promote physical activity and help improve their health. It’s a message we want to send for the whole year and not just during the TV Turnoff Challenge,” said O’Grady.
Physical activity is a critical public health concern. With 87 percent of Canadian children and youth not sufficiently physically active for optimal growth and development, they are at risk for a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Research studies have also linked increased body mass index and a decreased level of physical activity to sedentary screen time behaviour.
“The TV Turnoff Challenge promotes goal setting and time management with respect to screen time,” said O’Grady. “We have included four 30-minute vouchers for screen-use during the week, which helps promote the three Ps of the challenge: practice turning off the screen, plan for screen time, and play—just get outside and play!” The TV Turnoff Challenge is coordinated by KFL&A Public Health.
