Fewer than half of children in Poland reach an adequate level of motor development, while the majority do not even meet basic standards for physical activity. Although the problem is growing nationwide, local initiatives — such as those in Warsaw’s Praga-Północ district — show that schools, parents and local governments are increasingly becoming involved in efforts to improve physical activity among children. Experts stress, however, that the key issue is not only encouraging interest in sport, but above all creating conditions that allow children to be naturally active every day.
“On a national scale, it is clear that physical activity among children and young people is now a major health and social challenge. This is confirmed both by data and by expert opinions. From the perspective of our district, the picture is not so straightforward. We are not observing a decline in interest in sport as such. On the contrary, we see strong involvement from schools, preschools, sports clubs, organisations and parents themselves. What is crucial today is not only whether children want to move, but whether we are able to create the best possible conditions for their everyday, natural activity. Local governments should look at this issue more broadly — through the prism of available activities, health education, access to space and cooperation with families,” Sylwester Klimiuk, Deputy Mayor of Warsaw’s Praga-Północ district, told Newseria news agency.
The Warsaw district is Poland’s participant in the European B-Challenged project, which aims to improve conditions for active outdoor play and the development of healthy eating habits among children aged 6–12. The project focuses on co-creating spaces that support children’s health and reduce health inequalities across Europe.
“On the one hand, infrastructure is important — both sports and recreational infrastructure — as well as the ability to use it conveniently, safely and regularly. On the other hand, the organisation of activities, everyday habits, families’ time and motivating children to be active from the youngest age are also essential. In densely built-up urban districts, such as Praga-Północ, which is not large, the challenge is often limited space and the heavy use of existing facilities,” Klimiuk adds.
A report from research conducted as part of the “PE with AWF” project shows that only 42 percent of children reach an appropriate level of motor development. At the same time, 60 percent of pupils do not meet basic physical activity standards. The report also found that more than 90 percent of children have not acquired basic motor skills. For example, 89 percent are unable to jump rope properly. During a March conference accompanying the presentation of the report, its authors stressed that building proper movement habits among the youngest children requires not only the involvement of teachers and parents, but also local government initiatives.
“Local governments have a very important role to play. First, they create and support specific programmes that activate children and young people. In our district, classes and projects are carried out for different age groups — from preschools, through older youth, to events involving entire families. This is important because physical activity develops best when it becomes part of everyday life, rather than a one-off event. Second, local government invests in infrastructure and gradual modernisation. This applies both to sports facilities and to spaces around schools and educational institutions. We need to renovate existing facilities, because without them there will not be enough places for activity,” the Deputy Mayor explains.
The project involving Praga-Północ focuses on urban areas with lower socio-economic status in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands. The Dutch research team selected a district in the western part of Amsterdam to participate.
“In every city in Europe there are areas with unattractive spaces. Housing needs may be prioritised over green areas, and not all places are socially or physically safe. We see that in less privileged areas, where families with lower income and education levels live, there is less of everything — less money and less access to safe spaces. Improving the quality of play infrastructure for children will certainly help, but it will not be enough, because there are many social factors that we also need to take into account. That is why, as part of our approach, we are trying to combine all these elements and focus not only on the physical environment, but also on the social environment,” says Prof. Taetske Altenburg from the University Medical Center in Amsterdam.
The solutions developed under the B-Challenged project are based on knowledge from epidemiology, participatory research and health policy. Children, families, schools, local governments, healthcare workers and urban planners are involved in designing them. Participants analyse local conditions, identify barriers and opportunities, and then plan initiatives that transform the physical and social environment in order to promote healthier lifestyles.
“Designing a child-friendly playground together with children should be a legal requirement. We should take a step forward instead of looking back and saying that a given solution did not work. We need to work on principles and regulations that include children’s participation in adapting specific elements to their needs. We could also consider reducing road traffic risks by introducing standard speed limits in residential areas across an entire country, or even across Europe. I think that would be very helpful,” says Prof. Altenburg.
She adds that insufficient physical activity among children and young people is a challenge not only in Poland or the Netherlands, but worldwide. A study conducted by an international team of researchers and published in The Lancet found that 80 percent of teenagers are not physically active enough. A serious problem is also the fact that many of them spend at least two hours a day in front of a smartphone or computer screen. Researchers point out that lack of physical activity among teenagers is likely contributing to major global health problems, including obesity, diabetes and mental health disorders.
“The reason may also be a lack of affordable extracurricular activities organised for children. That is one side of the issue. On the other hand, we all know how many opportunities there are to spend time in digital media. Children as young as 10 often already have mobile phones, and all screen-related behaviours are highly addictive. Children want to be online. Many of them experience FOMO, the fear of missing out,” says the researcher from the University Medical Center in Amsterdam.
