The Philippines is currently facing its highest recorded levels of childhood obesity and overweight, a worrying trend that health and sports professionals directly attribute to a sharp decline in physical play and the development of basic movement skills.
The Alarming Developmental Gap
Pio Solon, a member of the technical panel for sports and exercise science at the University of the Philippines and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), highlighted that children are now spending significantly more time on digital devices and less time outdoors. This shift has resulted in what experts are calling a concerning void in physical development.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu’s Beyond the Headlines, Solon revealed a startling reality: many children enter their teenage years without knowing how to perform fundamental actions like running or jumping, skills that were once naturally acquired through play. "We’ve lost the ability of children to play physically. They now play digitally," Solon explained. "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."
Global Standards and Local Diets
Supporting this local observation, the World Health Organization (WHO) published an article in March 2025 stating that one in every ten Filipino children is now classified as overweight or obese. This level is considered high by global standards.
The WHO pointed to unhealthy food environments as a key driver, noting that children are "growing up in surroundings where poor nutrition is more accessible than healthy options." The market is flooded with ultra-processed products like sweetened cereals, packaged snacks, and flavored drinks. Misleading marketing and a lack of better choices are shaping unhealthy eating habits from an early age.
Beyond Health: A Matter of National Concern
The consequences of this crisis extend far beyond public health, according to Solon. He issued a stark warning that a population growing up without foundational motor skills could face serious challenges during crises that require physical preparedness.
"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 strongly urged parents, schools, and communities to make outdoor play and sports participation a top priority. "Children need to play as much as possible, get into sports, do something fun. Let them be children, let them play," he added.
Solon also addressed a common misconception about physical activity among adults, particularly the elderly. Many believe that older people cannot engage in regular exercise, despite WHO guidelines recommending at least 300 minutes of physical activity per week for people over 60.
While long-term data on exercise and aging is still limited, Solon cited compelling anecdotal evidence, such as an Italian man who started cycling at 65 and continued until he was 90. His message was clear: "It’s never too late to start. You can reverse a lot of the aging that happens—whether in strength or cardiovascular fitness."
