Only a quarter of Romanian teens do enough sports to maintain good health

Only 28% of teenagers in Romania aged 11-15 engage in the minimum required level of physical activity and sports to maintain good health, according to a study conducted by the World Health Organization cited on High5 Podcast.

Additionally, only 23% of them perform sufficient moderate and intense physical activities for their stage of development, which has led in recent years to an increase in the number of children experiencing unbalanced growth due to weight issues and health problems associated with the risk of pre-obesity and obesity, according to the same study.

The alarming statistics regarding the low level of physical activity among Romanian teenagers could lead to a public health issue. The lack of exercise affects not only physical health but also mental well-being, endangering their harmonious development, warns Bogdan Rath, the most decorated Romanian water polo player of all time and the coach of the national water polo team.

"Today, mass sports, sports for all, no longer exist. There are people who, for children who are otherwise healthy, have obtained certificates to exempt them from physical education, which is just one aspect of a broader phenomenon. People don’t understand that sports represent the health of a nation. In contrast, other countries allocate significant funds and create structures, and resources for sports," said Bogdan Rath for High5.

Children and teenagers aged 5 to 17 should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per day each week, as well as muscle- and bone-strengthening exercises at least three times a week. This would help reduce sedentary behavior, particularly time spent in front of screens (TV, computer, laptop, phone), according to the study.

"Playing outside is almost non-existent today. In the past, activities came with a certain physical baggage. Hopscotch or climbing trees provided significant motor and physical benefits. What happens today when a teenager has to choose between a ball and the alternative of staying on their phone? The norms are disappearing," said Bogdan Rath in the same podcast.

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