A new study shows that most schoolchildren in Hong Kong are not doing the 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Professor Patrick Ip from the University of Hong Kong’s department of paediatrics said research he carried out for the InspiringHK Sports Foundation found less than eight percent of more than 1,000 primary and secondary students studied met the exercise standard over the past year.

Ip blamed this on poor habits developed during the Covid pandemic.

“We have observed a very alarming situation that during non-school days and public holidays, children actually did not go out with their friends, their family members to play sports or do any activities under the sunshine,” he said.

“This turns out to be a very bad habit. If that habit continues, our next generation will be at a much worse physical activity level, as well as having a poor shape in both physical and mental health.”

The foundation said it hopes that by 2030, 16 percent of Hong Kong schoolchildren will reach the 60 minutes per day recommendation, adding that it will launch a scheme next year aimed at promoting physical activity among schoolchildren.