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Children exercise more on holiday, report shows

Children are more likely to get involved in sport and exercise on a foreign holiday than at school or on a UK break, new research shows.

A poll conducted by 12 year olds at a school in Weston-super-Mare found that more children (96%) aged 12 do more exercise during their summer holidays than during school term time.

The highest exercise levels were found in students who went abroad on holiday (78% did a 'lot more' exercise) as opposed to those who holidayed in the UK (33%) and those who did not have a holiday at all (37.5%).

Eight out of ten (79%) got enjoyment from exercise during the summer holidays, with over half (57%) describing it as 'more fun' and 22% saying it was 'more exciting'.

Analysis of their school versus holiday eating experiences found that 12-year-olds consume:

  • Less burgers and pizzas on holiday compared to a school week

  • More vegetables during the school holidays than term time

  • Lots More' fruit in the school holidays than term time

  • Far more water during the school holidays than term time

  • About the same amounts of salad, chips, sweets, chocolate and ice cream


    • Asked about their views on holiday eating habits, the vast majority wanted to eat more healthily.

    As a result of the findings, La Manga Club, which commissioned the report, is calling for schools to make term-time exercise more fun and for parents to encourage their children to be more active.

    Tony Coles, general manager at La Manga Club, said: "As a family-orientated sports and leisure resort we commissioned this report to look at what children thought of the kinds of exercise they do and the diet they keep.

    "The findings show that young people can and do enjoy their exercise, but the statistics reveal they do more of it - and in a greater range of activities - during the school holidays when they have more time, more opportunity and more fun.

    "What we're hoping to do today with the publishing of this report is to show parents, teachers, youth club operators, in fact anyone who engages with young people, that a more varied range of activities encourages increased levels of exercise - which is a great step on the road towards reducing childhood obesity." By Phil Davies Travel Mole website.

    Published: 5.12.2007

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