The verdict came on February 6, 2026. A third of the sixth grade students, from both public and private sectors, were tested on their physical abilities. The observation is clear: 50% of students are unable to run for more than 5 minutes at a moderate speed of 8 to 9 km/h. Worse still, 18% of them stop before even reaching 3 minutes of running.
Endurance, a major weak point for college students
If the strength tests (long jump) and speed (30 meter sprint) show slightly more encouraging results, the cardio-respiratory capacity collapses.
As the Ministry of Health points out, in 25 years, children have lost 40% of their heart capacity.
The study highlights other striking disparities. On the one hand, boys display better endurance control (46.3%) than girls (21.6%). On the other hand, the social gap is widening. In advantaged middle schools, 43.4% of students achieve satisfactory mastery, compared to only 25.3% in priority education networks (REP and REP+).
For Coralie Benech, high school PE teacher and co-general secretary of the SNEP-FSU union who speaks in The Parisianthe lack of investment in infrastructure and the dilapidation of certain gymnasiums worsen the situation. Sport is not just a question of will, it is an issue of public policy.
A generation increasingly immobile: the alarm cry of an emergency doctor
Asked about these results, Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor, does not hide his concern. For him, the causes are multiple but identifiable: the omnipresence of screens (on average 4 hours per day according to the latest figures from Public Health France for 12-17 year olds), junk food and urbanization which limits active travel.
“In France, physical activity is unfortunately not culturally anchored in the education system, unlike in Anglo-Saxon countries. We need a complete paradigm shift!” explains Dr. Kierzek.
The consequences are not only physical, they are also cognitive:
- Immediate risks: Overweight (17% of 6-17 year olds), sleep disorders, myopia and learning difficulties due to lack of cerebral oxygenation;
- Long-term risks:We are going to face the wall of sedentary lifestyle with sick young adults“, warns the doctor. Diabetes, hypertension and early cardiac hypertrophy await this generation.
How to get your child back into sport gradually?
Faced with this “health bomb”, the reaction must be immediate but controlled. Health Insurance recommends 60 minutes of daily physical activity for 12-17 year olds.
Dr. Kierzek advises a caring approach:
- The medical examination: An essential prerequisite to avoid any risk;
- Pleasure above all: “Choose activities suited to your personality: team sports for the shyest, martial arts for the most agitated. Involve him in the choice so as not to rob him” ;
- The 3 times rule: Practice muscle strengthening or sustained endurance activities at least three times a week;
- Limit a sedentary lifestyle: Do not sit for more than 2 consecutive hours and aim for 9 hours of sleep per night to maintain a good energy level.
In conclusion, the sedentary lifestyle of young people is a major political and health issue. Restoring the taste for effort is an absolute emergency to protect the future health of our children.