A study of South Asian and white inner city schoolchildren has found “epidemic” levels of physical inactivity.

The survey funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found most children do not take enough exercise…

Only half the children surveyed walked to school, with South Asian children particularly less likely to do so. And half of the pupils spent four hours or more a day watching television or videos or playing computer games…

“A consistent finding in South Asian migrant populations, wherever they are located, is a higher incidence and prevalence of premature coronary heart disease compared with the local population.

“Metabolic abnormalities precede the development of diabetes by some years and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in children often persist into adulthood. There is also evidence of increased risk of cardiovascular risk factors in children of South Asian origin compared to white children.” …

Source: Guardian Unlimited
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6665612,00.html