A new study by Essex University reveals that computer games and social networking have made children weak. Five percent of children were unable to hold their own weight when hanging from a bar in 1998. Ten years later, that figure doubled to 10%. Over the same period the arm strength of children fell by 26%, while their grip strength declined by 7%. The number of sit-ups fell by 27% over the decade. Rsearchers say the average body mass index for ten-year-olds stayed the same between 1998 and 2008 meaning children’s bodies are likely to contain less muscle and more fat.
