Active Healthy Kids Australia’s latest report card on physical activity for children and young people found Australian children were lagging behind their international peers when it came to physical exercise.

The report found only 19 per cent of Australians aged five to 17 met national physical activity guidelines, which recommended 60 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity per day. In Slovenia, which topped the rankings, 86 per cent of children met the same benchmark.

The organisation’s co-chair Dr Natasha Schranz said it was crucial parents and the wider community took steps to counter the problem. 

“We have to make some fundamental changes as a nation today, and take on board the lessons of these countries or bear the negative impact on the nation’s future health and budget.”

Dr Schranz said National Walk Safely to School Day on May 19 was the perfect opportunity for families to start creating healthy new habits.