The Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines is Singapore’s first set of integrated activity guidelines for early childhood.
Launched on 21 Jan 2022, the Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood is developed by KKH-led IPRAMHO, one of the main programmes by SingHealth Duke-NUS Maternal and Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI). It aims to set a strong foundation for healthy lifestyle behaviours and good long-term health outcomes in young children under seven years of age, and improve national health.
The set of guidelines standardises advice in four main areas - physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, as well as diet and eating habits - for young children, within a 24-hour period, to improve health and promote the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours.
Guidelines
These recommendations are based on locally and globally established studies and best practices, and a recent KKH-led survey. Developed with the Singapore population in mind, the guidelines include strategies to reduce Singapore’s childhood myopia rate which is among the highest in the world, as well as to promote family unit practices as most Asian parents are time-poor.
For infants (under one year):- Have at least 30 mins of tummy time (an exercise which involves laying the baby on his/her tummy) in a day.
- No screen viewing time, including background screen time.
- Avoid restraining and leaving infants unattended for more than one hour at a time.
- Have a total of 14 to 17 hours of sleep daily (up to three months) and 12 to 15 hours of sleep daily (four to 11 months), including naps.
- Meals to be spaced two to three hours apart to avoid overfeeding.
For toddlers (one to under three years):
- Accumulate at least 180 minutes of a variety of physical activities in a day, with outdoor active play highly encouraged.
- No screen time for those under 18 months of age and less than one hour for those 18 months and above.
- Avoid restraining toddlers in a seat for more than an hour at a time.
- Have a total of 11 to 14 hours of sleep daily, and regular sleep and wake times.
- Introduce healthy family meals, and offer whole milk and water while establishing a structured routine for meal and snack times.
For preschoolers (three to under seven years):
- Accumulate at least 180 minutes of a variety of physical activities in a day, including a minimum of 60 minutes of activities of moderate to vigorous intensity. More is better.
- Recreational screen viewing time to be limited to less than one hour.
- Have a total of 10 to 13 hours of sleep daily (three to five years) or nine to 11 hours of sleep daily (six years).
- Encourage healthy eating habits as a family, with caregivers as role models; Limit amount and frequency of sweetened beverage consumption.
For more details on the guidelines, please visit the College of Paediatrics & Child Health Singapore.
