RESEARCH ARTICLE Parents ’ views on child ph a

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBackground The benefits of physical activity (PA) in adults have been well documented and include decreased risk of obesity, type-2-diabetes and all cause mortality [1-3]. Among children, PA has been associated with improved mental well-being [4] and lower levels of cardiovascular disease risk-factors [5,6]. Research suggests that children do not engage in the recommended amount of 60 minutes moderate-to-vigorous PA per day [7,8]. The early pri-mary school years (6–8 years) is a critical time for phys-ical skill development [9,10] and is the period in which PA behaviour is formed [11]. There is evidence that PA behaviours in childhood track into adulthood [12,13] and therefore establishing healthy behaviours in early childhood is important for the current and future health of children. Increasing children’s PA levels is a key UK governmen