Can uniforms make children fat? Scientists claim they can stop children from getting enough exercise, but insist they don’t want this to be banned
- Children who wear school uniforms such as skirts are not as active, scientists say
- Students do not do an hour of moderate-intensity exercise recommended by the WHO
School uniforms could be preventing children from getting enough exercise – and schools should consider redesigning them to tackle rising obesity rates, scientists claim.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that young people who wear uniforms are less likely to get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Girls are more affected than boys because they feel less comfortable with active play while wearing skirts or dresses.
Dr. Mairead Ryan said: ‘We are not seeking to propose a blanket ban on uniforms, but to present new evidence to support decision-making.
‘School communities could consider design, and whether specific features of a uniform could encourage or limit opportunities for physical activity throughout the day.
Regular exercise contributes to the physical and mental well-being of children. More active young people are also known to do better in class, say researchers from the University of Cambridge
‘Activities such as walking or cycling to school, games at break time and playing outside after school can all help young people incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.
‘That’s why we’re interested in how clothing stimulates such behaviour.’
She added that regular physical activity supports children’s physical and mental well-being. It is also known that more active young people do better in class.
The study, reported in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, used physical activity data from 1.1 million five- to 17-year-olds internationally.
It found that in countries where schools require uniforms, fewer students complete the hour of moderate-intensity exercise recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
There was a consistent gap between the activity levels of boys and girls, with boys across all age groups one and a half times more likely to meet WHO recommendations.
However, this gap was wider among children who have to wear uniforms.
Dr. Esther van Sluijs, from the Medical Research Council, said: ‘Girls may feel less confident doing things such as cartwheels and tumbling in the playground, or cycling on a windy day, if they are wearing a skirt or dress.
‘Social norms and expectations tend to influence what they think they can do in this clothing. Unfortunately, that’s a problem when it comes to promoting physical health.”
Last month, a major study found that almost one in four children aged 10 and 11 in England are obese, partly driven by pandemic lockdowns.