Young children should be encouraged to do weight training to help their physical development, according to a new study.
Researchers believe that strength-based exercises - such as squats, leg presses and deadlifts - could help to prepare youngsters to be more physically active throughout their lives.
The study suggests that the exercises enhance muscle strength at a young age and form an essential part of fundamental movement skill (FMS) development.
Read more Childhood obesity rates 'likely to double' if studies measure body fat not BMI
Experts involved in the research now warn that youngsters who do not work on these skills early on in life may not be able to participate in a variety of activities and sports as they get older.
Helen Collins, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and a Sport and Exercise Scientist at the University of Dundee, explained that strength training could help to promote good health in later life.
She said: “The finding that resistance training has a positive impact on FMS suggests that children could improve how well they can move by taking part in this mode of exercise.
“This could ultimately have an effect on physical activity levels, which is crucial for sustaining and promoting good health in childhood and later life.”
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh analysed 33 data sets from existing research that examined the effects of resistance training on FMS in 542 young people from 11 countries.
The participants - aged between eight and 18 - were from Canada, USA, Tunisia, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, UK, Brazil, Norway and Portugal.
Read more Expert backs 20mph Bill to help combat Scotland’s ‘obesity epidemic’
The study is the first review on this topic to include non-sporting participants and shows that isolated resistance training has a positive effect on the FMS of sprinting, jumping and throwing.
It comes as physical activity levels are declining with age across the globe.
This is despite current guidelines for children aged five to 18 that recommend at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day and taking part in activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least three days a week.
These activities contribute to the development of healthy bones, muscles and joints and a healthy cardiovascular system, experts say.
They also help with the maintenance of healthy body weight, provide psychological benefits and reduce the risk of several diseases.
The IPPR report suggested that eliminating the impact of branding and advertising would put unhealthy foods on a “level playing-field” with fruit and vegetables.
However the Scottish Government said it had no plans to look at the idea, while critics labelled the scheme “heavy-handed” and “insane”. The IPPR also argued that adverts for the products should only be allowed after the 9pm watershed.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here