An hour of sport a day to beat obesity

Schoolchildren should take at least an hour of exercise every day, a new report says.

It blames parents and teachers for the huge rise in childhood obesity, and calls for schools to consider extending their day to fit in more gym classes.

"The message for parents is that it is very important to ensure children spend at least an hour a day in some form of appropriate physical activity," said the study's leader Professor William Strong, of the Medical College of Georgia. His report is published today in the prestigious journal Pediatrics.

The number of obese children in Britain has tripled in the past 20 years, and recent research found 69 per cent of children over the age of six spent less than an hour a day exercising.

British experts today backed the plan, and said TV could hold the key to beating the crisis.

Professor Stephen Bloom, of Imperial College, said: "An hour a day of exercise is perfectly achievable. It is certainly a lot more than most children are currently getting. We need to exert social pressures on children-as at the moment there are 1,000 deaths a week from obesity in Britain, and an overweight child will always become an overweight adult."

Professor Bloom called for new facilities such as indoor climbing walls to be put in place, and for a series of competitive events to be run.

He added: "If children think they can win prizes and maybe get on TV, then they will practise for hours. I think that even though TV is a major part of the problem, a televised show could be a good way to get people interested.

"If children are taking part in