A study of physical activity levels among children and teenagers throughout the island of Ireland has revealed major inequalities in relation to gender, socioeconomic status and disability status.

According to the findings, girls, young people from poorer backgrounds and young people with disabilities are less likely to achieve the 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity that is recommended for those aged between six and 17 years.

The results were contained in the Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents, which was produced as part of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance. Under this global initiative, report cards are generated for countries using a standardised grading system, with grades from A for succeeding with a large majority of children to F for succeeding with few children.

The 2022 report card is the third report of its kind for Ireland and Northern Ireland and provides a grade across eleven indicators for physical activity among children and teenagers. These indicators include overall physical activity, sedentary behaviours, school and organised sport. Each indicator provides a main grade and a grade for young people with disabilities.

After evaluating data in the Republic and Northern Ireland, the researchers awarded a C minus grade for overall physical activity in children and teenagers, representing a slight improvement on the D grade awarded in 2016. However, children with disabilities were assigned an F grade. This means that less than 20% of children with disabilities were achieving the recommended 60 minutes of activity daily.

Sedentary behaviours were assigned a C- grade across the aboard and this grade has not changed since 2014. School was also awarded a C- across the board, a slight improvement on 2016 when a D grade was assigned.

Organised sport was awarded a C grade overall, however children with disabilities were assigned a D grade.

Meanwhile, the researchers also found that more males than females met recommended daily activity levels, as did younger children and those from a higher socioeconomic background.

“It is encouraging to see the improvement in the overall grade, which shows that children and adolescents are more physically active compared to the previous 2016 report card. However, it also shows that not all children have an equal opportunity to be physically active, pointing to the need to address a range of inequalities as identified in the 2022 report card,” commented Prof Marie Murphy of Ulster University.

Also commenting on the findings, Dr Helen McEvoy, director of policy at the Institute of Public Health, noted that while some progress has been made in some areas, “strategic investment is clearly needed to accelerate progress and extend the benefits of physical activity to all children including those living in social disadvantage and children with disability”.

The report card was compiled by a team of investigators from Ulster University, the Institute of Public Health, Dublin City University, Munster Technological University, the University of Limerick, Technical University of Shannon, University College Cork, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Eastern Finland. It can be  viewed here.