CHILDREN are losing 80 per cent of their fitness during the summer holidays, new research involving schools in Bolton has shown.

The study found that fitness levels dropped dramatically and that the rate of increase in children’s Body Mass Index (BMI) – an approximate measure of whether someone is over, or underweight – rose by two and a half times during the holidays.

Now there have been calls for more family activities over the summer.

The study involved schoolchildren in Haslam Park Primary, Gilnow Primary, St Thomas Canterbury Primary, Markland Hill, Prestolee Primary, St Bartholomew’s and St Thomas Chequerbent, as well as schools in Manchester and Leigh.

The study was carried out by Premier Sport, which runs PE sessions in schools and has an office in Bolton, alongside ukactive Research Institute.

The study found gains children had made in fitness during term time fell during the holidays – children were able to run a further 120 metres in July, before the summer break, than in the same test in September – suggesting that term-time improvements in physical activity were being eroded by lazy school breaks.

Children completed an average of 740 metres of a shuttle run test ahead of the summer holidays compared with 605 metres at the start of the new term.

The research, which was carried out with more than 400 children over a 13-month period, was the first study of its kind to measure fitness levels both before and after the summer holidays. Now the authors are calling for the government’s recent promise of a £500,000 cash injection into school sport through the sugar tax to be used to provide incentives for kids and parents to be active over the summer.

Premier Sport run programmes including “personal best” in local primary schools, which has been praised by head teachers.

Andy Heald, national quality development manager and programme developer who is based in Bolton, said:”I know through my own professional experience and research that children of this age aren’t doing enough physical activity.”

Mark John, head teacher at St Bartholomew’s CE Primary in Westhoughton, said: “The personal best program worked really well in school.

“The children enjoyed the sessions and we did see an improvement in the overall physical activity levels. This had an impact within other areas of the curriculum as the children were more alert and focused.”

Dr Steven Mann, ukactive Research Director and lead author said: “Schools and activity providers are doing a fantastic job to increase fitness levels during term time, but the evidence shows that we need to focus our efforts on ensuring that the summer months are active months for all children.”