Attention News Editor:

News Feature                            For Immediate Release:

                                                                                                       April 20, 2007

Fifth Annual Turn Off the Screens Week

More than 12,000 students from 49 schools in Grey Bruce will try to live without television, video games and computers (except for homework) during the fifth Anniversary of Turn Off the Screens Week challenge from April 23-27. Eleven Ontario Early Years Centres are also taking up the challenge providing information for parents on reducing screen time and keeping preschool children active.

            The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institutes (CFLRI) reports most children and youth are 73 to 91 per cent below goals set in Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth.  The study by CFLRI collected pedometer data on 6,000 children and youth ages 5-19 measuring the number of steps kids take in order to assess their activity levels. On average, youth take 10,000 to 12,000 steps per day. Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth state that children should be accumulating 90 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity in addition to incidental activities required for daily living - or the equivalent of 16,500 steps.

            To participate in the Turn Off the Screens Week challenge students record their participation in activities during the week on log sheets sent home through the schools. The student must be screen-free for the five days and have their log sheet signed by the parent and returned to the school by May 11 to be eligible for prizes. Names will be drawn for one $150 and four $50 gift certificates for sporting goods equipment. Schools with 50 per cent or more of the completed logs sheets returned receive gift certificates for physical activity resources. The draw for prizes will take place by the end of May.

Replacing TV and computer viewing time with family physical activity is one solution offered by Public Health. “The Turn Off the Screen Week challenge is an opportunity to realize how much we rely on the entertainment technology to fill our time and how much we miss out in life” said Public Health Nurse, Betty Perkins. “Family events emphasizing physical activity have been planned by School Community Councils in towns throughout Grey and Bruce. The log sheet contains over 25 different opportunities for families. The Town of The Blue Mountains has taken up the challenge and has organized after school events.”

            To find out about events or to get log forms, look under Physical Activity on the Public Health website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

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Attachments: Turn Off the Screens fact sheet; List of participating schools.

For further information call:

Betty Perkins

Public Health Nurse

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-881-1920 ext. 239