24 Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep

What are the guidelines?

The Canadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth, launched in June 2016, are the world’s first integrated movement behaviour guidelines that recommend the amount and intensity of physical activity, sleep, and limits to sedentary time for children and youth aged 5 to 17 within a 24-hour period. The guidelines reflect emerging research and evidence of the important relationship between sleep, physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children and youth.

The Canadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth, more details on the background research informing them, their interpretation, guidance on how to achieve them, and recommendations for research and surveillance are available at CSEP.

The Public Health Agency of Canada provided an investment of $443,390 toward the development of the 24 Hour Movement Guidelines. Other contributors include ParticipACTION, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, the Conference Board of Canada, and HALO-CHEO for a total investment of $1,175,730.

Canada’s physical activity guides

Previous Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for children and youth, released in January 2011, and the guidelines that were communicated in Canada's Physical Activity Guides, developed by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) in 1998 (adults), 1999 (older adults) and 2002 (children and youth), were based on evidence available at that time.

Canada's Physical Activity Guides are no longer being distributed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadians are encouraged to consult CSEP's website as new tools and resources are developed to align with the new recommendations.