PARENTS BLAME THE GREAT BRITISH WEATHER FOR POOR FAMILY EXERCISE HABITS

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS BRITISH FAMILIES DO NOT EXERCISE ENOUGH, CONTRIBUTING TO HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONGST THE NATION’S CHILDREN

 

A new survey of parents of children aged 15 or under across Great Britain, identified that a third of parents (31%) feel poor weather conditions prevent them from exercising as much as they like as a family.

 

Almost a quarter of parents (24%) cited expense as the reason and half of parents believe lack of time is the reason they do not exercise as a family.

 

The research, conducted by British Gas, principle sponsor of British Swimming, found that more than two fifths (43%) of parents admitted to wanting to spend more time being active and exercising as a family.  The research of 909 parents of children aged 15 or under across Great Britain showed that almost three-quarters of parents (72%) are falling short of meeting the Government’s recommendations on weekly exercise - 30 minutes of activity 5 times a week.

 

A fifth of parents (20%) are concerned with issues such as obesity and diabetes, among other medical issues affecting their children. Distractions such as TV, video games and computers are also a major concern for over a third (34%) of parents.

 

Swimming came out as the preferred family activity amongst children, with 31% of children favouring swimming over bike rides, going to the park and walking, according to their parents.

 

It is widely recognised that swimming is a positive recreational activity among individuals and families. It increases life expectancy, helps weight management and can improve a person’s mood and balance. 

 

British fitness queen, mother and wife, Nell McAndrew, comments: “As a working mother, it can be a real struggle to balance work and family time. It can be really easy to sacrifice family activities when time is tight, but I’ve discovered that swimming can be a great way to keep fit with the family, even in winter.

 

I began swimming with my son when he was 5 months old and we swim together as a family every Sunday. From my experience, it’s a great way to strengthen the bond between parent and child. The British Gas Free Swim initiative is a great way to get British families exercising together. To find out where your nearest pool is, please visit www.swimfit.com”

 

British Gas is offering a free swim to all its customers. Families can book a swim simply by visiting the British Gas website: http://www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming More than 1,100 pools across Britain are participating in the scheme.

 

Swimming presents many physical and mental health benefits for children, including increased motion and flexibility, improvements in muscle and bone strength, confidence and sense of well-being. Lack of exercise and poor family lifestyles can contribute to child obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure – all increasing problems among British children.

 

The survey, which was conducted online by YouGov Plc, surveyed 4091Great British adults, of the 4091 adults surveyed as part of the Omnibus, 909 were parents and had children aged 15 or younger. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8–11 Feb 2010. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (18+)

 

About British Gas

The nation's leading energy supplier, British Gas, is the Principle Partner of British Swimming and has pledged £15m to support the sport at all levels. From helping children learn a vital life skill, to giving British athletes the best chance of gold medal success, British Gas is committed to swimming in Britain, from paddling pool to podium. For more information visit www.britishgasswimming.co.uk

British Gas, the biggest energy supplier in the country, has the lowest carbon intensity of any of the major UK energy suppliers in terms of tonnes of CO2 emitted per megawatt hour of electricity supplied to customers.

British Gas is committed to energy efficiency.  Our Energy Savers Report provides free expert advice on how you can cut energy use in the home and, in turn, save money.  So far, the report has shown over 2 million people how they could make an average saving of £175 a year.  To complete a report go to www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-efficiency/energy-savers-report

 

About Free Swim

To date, British Gas has provided over 235,000 free family swims to British Gas customers. British Gas is working with over 1100 pools across Great Britain, providing families across Britain with the opportunity to swim together as a family.