one risk weighs on the health of two out of three adolescents

“The sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity”, favored by imprisonment to curb the Covid-19 epidemic, “lead to an increased risk of overweight and obesity during adolescence”, explains Irène Margaritis, head of the unit Health Agency Nutritional Risk Assessment (ANSES).

This is undoubtedly one of the effects of imprisonment and the restriction of movement among young people. Too many screens, little sport or physical activity; The National Agency for Health, Food and Environmental Safety warns about sedentary lifestyle. The time spent in front of the screens, without any physical activity, in fact involves considerable risks that today concern two thirds of young French people.

66% of adolescents affected

It is a large majority, 66% of teenagers between the ages of 11 and 17, who he remains sedentary for more than two hours a day, most often in front of the screens. A first risk, combined with a second: daily physical activity is less than an hour. “One thing is certain, a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity lead to an increased risk of overweight and obesity during adolescence”, details Irène Margaritis, head of the health agency’s nutritional risk assessment unit.

“Very often, these young people, who are not sufficiently active or sedentary, will perpetuate these behaviors to have the same type in adulthood, which will expose them to cardiovascular risks, the risks of some cancers”, keep it going.

Getting around by bicycle or on foot

There is also a file sedentary lifestyle explosion in 17% of these adolescents, who spend 4.5 hours a day in front of a screen, with less than 20 minutes of physical activity. “You have to say that sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity are risk factors as such. It is not necessarily the model we have in mind: we tell ourselves that, ultimately, physical inactivity is okay if we do more, but if we don’t do too much, it’s not too serious. But that’s not how we should see it as, today, it reaches a level of physical inactivity that exposes them to health risks. “

ANSES underlines this: we need to rethink our lifestyles, for example urban planning, which should encourage more cycling or walking trips.