Almost half of the Netherlands four to 12-year-olds are not getting the amount of exercise they should, according to new research into the nation’s health by national statistics office CBS.

Official guidelines say children should have at least an hour of moderate exercise a day – such as cycling, walking or swimming but only 55% of children reach this, the CBS said.

In addition, they should engage in three hour’s bone and muscle-strengthening exercise a week, something which almost 99% of children do achieve, the research showed.

Adults

Adults perform even less well than children when it comes to moderate exercise. The guidelines recommend 150 minutes of movement a week, including two sessions of muscle and bone strengthening exercise.

But fewer than half the adults in the CBS research spend enough time on walking or cycling, and only 77% meet the muscle and bone strengthening target, the CBS said.