A doctor suggested on Wednesday that parents find ways to keep their children physically active while they are at home during the covid19 pandemic.

Dr Dionne Mitchell made the suggestion during an online panel discussion hosted by the Sport and Community Development Ministry.

"Metabolism is something that we have to continuously drive."

She explained this is particularly important for children, who are now at home and may be unable to do many of the physical activities they used to before the pandemic.

Mitchell said it is not healthy for children to be sedentary, spend most of their time indoors, on electronic devices, watching television or playing video games while they are at home. She was certain that parents could find innovative ways to keep their children active, "even it it's just (doing household) chores."

Mitchell added that even simple things like running around the house could be enough to keep children's metabolism active and ensure they have some type of healthy exercise.

She cautioned that a lack of exercise could led to the onset of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

"That is becoming an epidemic as well."

Mitchell said NCDs are not something people contract overnight but do so slowly over time, if certain healthy lifestyles are not practised.

"I am now seeing women and girls as young as 12 and 13 presenting with diabetes."

Mitchell also said she has seen women in their 20s and 30s with thyroid disease.

"That was something that was restricted to women over 40."

She added, 'I am seeing young girls as young as six and seven that have started developing breasts, precocious puberty. That is becoming something that is common that I didn't see before."

Personal trainer Zulema Charles said NCDs could be avoided if people develop the right balance between diet and exercise.

"You can't outtrain your diet. That's why it's diet and exercise."

She said many people have the misconception that they can exercise as much as they want, maintain an unhealthy diet and expect positive results.

Charles said diet is 80 per cent of any effective exercise regimen, and failure to accept this reality can "send you back to the starting line."

Bodybuilder and personal trainer Jessica James said some people eat to feel good and others eat because they are depressed.

She admitted that it is not easy for people to maintain a balance between proper diet and exercise, and said it is important on those occasions when people stumble and fall "to get right back on that horse."

The post Doctor: Keep children active during covid19 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.