Is technology killing us?

A recent survey reveals how inactive many children have become inevitably increasing the obesity epidemic. One in six children can not swim and one in ten have not learnt to ride a bike. A further 25% have never run 400m. However, the study found that British children were more than twice as likely to spend their free time watching television (79%) than playing sport (34%). The children were also more likely to surf the internet (56%), chat on social -networking sites (45%) and play video games (43%) than take part in sports. The study looked at 1500 children between the ages of 6-15 and seems to highlight a generation turning their backs on sport and exercise. What will the cost of this be?

This is also on the back of an international  study showing that Britain is the only country whose people work harder than they did in the 1980s. The study by the OECD has found that the wealthiest fifth of Britons now work three hours a week more than in the 1980s- the highest rise in all the OECDs 34 members. The poorest fifth are working one hour longer. In Finland this is seven hours less, the Netherlands six hours less and in Germany four hours less. Does more work equal greater productivity?

Kevin 5 May 2011