Sedentary behavior overwhelms activity.

• Position: Children - Brief article

Children who spend more than three-quarters of their time engaging in sedentary behavior, such as watching television and sitting at computers, have up to nine times poorer motor coordination than their more active peers, reveals a study in the American Journal of Human Biology. The study found that physical activity alone was not enough to overcome the negative effect of sedentary behavior on basic motor coordination skills such as walking, throwing, or catching, which are considered the building blocks of more complex movements.

"Childhood is a critical time for the development of motor coordination skills that are essential for health and well-being," stresses lead author Luis Lopes from Portugal's University of Minho. "We know that sedentary lifestyles have a negative effect on these skills and are associated with decreased fitness, lower self-esteem, decreased academic achievement, and increased obesity."

On average, the children tested spent 75.6% of their time being sedentary, but the impact on motor coordination was found to be...