The Philippines is currently confronting its highest-ever recorded rates of obesity and being overweight among children. Health and sports professionals directly link this troubling trend to a dramatic decline in physical play and the development of fundamental movement skills.
The Digital Playground Replaces the Real One
Pio Solon, a member of the University of the Philippines and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) technical panel for sports and exercise science, highlighted that children are increasingly engaged in digital play while spending less time outdoors. This shift has resulted in what experts are calling alarming gaps in their physical development.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu’s Beyond the Headlines, Solon revealed a startling reality: many children now enter adolescence without knowing how to perform basic movements like running, skipping, or jumping. These are skills that were once naturally acquired in early childhood through active play.
"We’ve lost the ability of children to play physically. They now play digitally," Solon stated. He further emphasized, "Children don’t know how to run, they don’t know how to skip, they don’t know how to jump. They get to high school without knowing these physical skills."
Unhealthy Food Environment Fuels the Crisis
Supporting these observations, the World Health Organization (WHO), in a March 2025 article, classified one in ten Filipino children as overweight or obese. This level is considered high by global standards.
Further data from a 2023 national nutrition survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) showed the problem is growing rapidly. Overweight and obesity rates have reached 12.9 percent among five- to ten-year-olds and 12.5 percent among ten- to nineteen-year-olds.
The WHO also pointed to the "unhealthy food" given to children as a primary driver of this crisis. It stated that children are "growing up in environments where unhealthy food is more accessible than nutritious options."
The organization specifically called out the flood of ultra-processed food products like sweetened cereals, packaged snacks, and flavored drinks. Misleading marketing and a lack of better choices shape eating habits from a very young age.
A UNICEF study found that more than a third of packaged food for infants and young children contains added sugars or sweeteners. For instance, 87 percent of biscuits contain added sugars. Currently, no regulations exist in the Philippines to limit sugar content in food specifically marketed to young children.
In another damning finding, a UNICEF analysis of over 1,000 social media ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube found that 99 percent promoted unhealthy products. This widespread marketing directly violates WHO guidance designed to protect children from the harmful impact of such advertising.
Beyond Health: A Matter of National Preparedness
Solon warned that the consequences extend far beyond public health. He connected the lack of foundational motor skills to potential challenges in national crisis situations that demand physical readiness.
"People ask why physical education and sports are important. It’s a matter of national defense," Solon asserted. "If citizens below 18 don’t know how to run, jump, or carry, and at some point there’s a disaster or an effort to defend our territory, how do we manage?"
He issued a strong call to action for parents, schools, and communities to prioritize outdoor play and sports participation. "Children need to play as much as possible, get into sports, do something fun," he urged. "Let them be children, let them play."
It's Never Too Late to Start
Solon also addressed common misconceptions about physical activity for older adults. He countered the assumption that the elderly are incapable of regular exercise, noting that WHO guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly for people over 60.
While long-term data is limited, Solon shared an anecdotal case of a sedentary Italian man who began cycling at 65. Through consistent activity over 25 years, he reached age 90 with the aerobic fitness of a 45-year-old.
"It’s never too late to start," Solon concluded, offering a message of hope for all ages. "You can reverse a lot of the aging that happens—whether in strength or cardiovascular fitness."
