Body complex, poor finances, screen use and insecurity in the area you live in.
These are some of the reasons young people address in the Public Health Agency’s new study on why they sit still for more than half of their waking hours.
– We see alarming statistics that diseases tend to decrease with age, for example type 2 diabetes, says Marita Friberg, investigator at the Public Health Agency.
At least 8 hours a day – that’s how much young people between the ages of 4 and 17 sit still today. This is shown by a survey carried out by the Public Health Authority.
– Some may be lazy or dislike sports. Maybe they don’t have good finances here at home, they don’t have money to start playing football or basketball, says Najdat Abo Khalil, 14 years old.
Boys are more physically active compared to girls of the same age. The biggest difference is seen when the children are nine years old, when boys spend 21 minutes more time on pulse-raising activity than girls.
“Wants to sit under the covers with the mobile phone”
The Public Health Authority has conducted in-depth interviews with children aged 13-18 to understand why it looks the way it does. According to the young people, the sedentary behavior is due to body complexes, lack of money, screen use and insecurity.
– So you want to go out and stuff like that, but if the weather is cold, you just want to sit under the covers and use your phone, says Meral Yusein, 14 years old.
Becomes addicted to social media
The young people also present their own solutions. Among other things, they want better outdoor environments with skate ramps and outdoor gyms. They also want help reducing screen time.
– Social media is very addictive, especially Tiktok and Instagram. The young people get stuck easily, says Mehmet Tirpan, 15 years old.