THE lack of physical activity in childhood breeds habits which are carried into adulthood. Modern conveniences have made everything so easy, which means there is little physical activity unless a person actively seeks it out. Thus it is important for a healthy lifestyle to be ingrained from young.

"Play gets a child active and sweating, which is all healthy and good," said Dr Mohd Nazir Abu Bakar.

Physical activity enhances overall well-being and reduces the risk of depression. Exercise helps to build lean muscle mass and reduces body fat. It is important to maintain the equilibrium between fat intake and physical activity to burn off excess fat.

To Dr Nazir, certain habits should be instilled from early childhood.

"Children who are used to an active lifestyle will carry it into adulthood. A lot of adult diseases are related to their lifestyle as children. "For example, an active child would have developed a healthy heart which reduces the risk of heart-related diseases, and wards off high blood pressure and the problem of high cholesterol," he said.

A child who is active develops a higher bone density and bone mineralisation, thus delaying the progression of osteoporosis in later life.

Children between the ages of four and six should be encouraged to take part in non-competitive games and unstructured activities such as walking, skipping, cycling in the playground, or running around in the park.

Half an hour of intensive play daily should be encouraged. The activities should be varied to ensure the child stays interested.

Parents should initiate activity as the child may not be able to go to the park by himself.

Free play brings the family together and allows parents to instruct the child in important life lessons such as sharing, co-operating, and learning to win and lose gracefully.

Hygiene may be an issue of concern to some parents. Often a child comes back from play covered in dirt, mud and sweat, which most parents consider unhygienic.

Some parents are also concerned that sweat may cause the skin to develop rashes or other skin problems. Rashes, however, are not caused by sweat.

"When there is friction between the skin, such as during scratching, it causes the skin to break, resulting in rashes. The bacteria (yeast or Candida) on our skin can cause fungal rash. This usually happens in areas where the skin is in close contact, such as the underarms. This can be prevented if the child is dressed in loose attire and cleans himself properly after physical activity," said Dr Nazir.

"The only dangers are worm infestations, blisters, fungal infection and possible ingestion of foreign materials, all of which can be avoided with simple preventive measures.

"It's best for parents to join in the activity and lead the way by playing with their children," said Dr Nazir.

"Many things can be taught through play. Some fun activities that can be done together are gardening and joining in community events. Bonding with your child is important as it helps shape the people they will become, both physically and mentally," Dr Nazir added.