Title

Sport and Physical Activity during the First 10 years of Life in Ireland and the UK

Authors

Kristy Howells, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom
Tara Coppinger, Department of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies, Munster Technological University, Cork, IrelandFollow

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7251-4516

Document Type

Book Part

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Sports Sciences

Publication Details

This is an Submitted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge/CRC Press in [Physical Activity and Sports During the First Ten Years of Life] on 13/04/2021, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429352645

Abstract

This chapter considers the many similarities within the educational experiences of the young children in sport and physical activity (PA) in Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK). PA has, in both countries, had an increased focus on its value and importance within children’s lives, a time of habit development. Public Health England (2014) reported that one in six deaths in the UK are due to lack of PA in adults, making it as dangerous as smoking. Healthy Ireland is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Ireland. The national guidelines for 2- to 18-year-olds are that all children are recommended to achieve 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) a day, as well as undertaking muscle strengthening, flexibility, and bone strengthening exercises three times a week. Sport Ireland is the main body that governs sport in Ireland.

Recommended Citation

T Coppinger & K Howells (2021). ‘Physical activity and sport during the first 10 years of life in the UK and Ireland’ in: R Bailey, J Agans, J Coté, A Daly-Smith, P Tomporowski (Eds.) Physical activity and Sport During the First Ten Years of Life. London: Routledge.