Television makes youngsters a couch potato?

London, Jan 20: One in four youngsters never play outdoor games. TV and cinema the most popular activity for five to 16-years-old, followed by video gaming and going online, according to a new UK study.

A survey of 1,000 parents and 500 children for the Arla Foods campaign showed the average member of the 'Indoor Generation' spends twice as much leisure time indoors than outside.

While seven in 10 parents blamed the weather for their youngsters spending hours in front of screens, 45 percent said safety concerns were a key factor, reported by Daily Express.

The results showed 71 percent of parents think their children are happier when they play outdoors and 92 percent believe outdoor play is good for their children's health.

Yet, a third of parents think their child is more interested in indoor activities.

The study found 16 hours a week was dedicated to watching TV with just eight spent out in the open.

"When I was at school, I would come home, dump my bag, jump over the fence and ramble until it was way past dark," said TV naturalist Chris Packham, who is backing the Kids Closer to Nature campaign launched by Arla Foods.

"Now, I never see young people in the countryside where I live. I don't see boys kicking a football, riding bikes, climbing trees or making dens," he added.

ANI