Britain nurturing kids into becoming 'couch potatoes'

A new study conducted by steel firm Tata Steel has come out with a revelation which states that Britain is raising a ‘generation of couch potatoes’ who cannot swim, run or cycle.

A survey of 1,500 children aged between six and 15 has found that 15% could not swim, one in 10 had never learnt to ride a bike and one in four had never run a distance of 400 metres.

The study claims that increased usage of mobile phones, video games, social networking sites are responsible for lack of physical activity in British children.

Around half the children surveyed surfed the Internet, chatted on social networking sites and played video games instead of indulging in outdoor activities.

A third said they did not even own a bike, while two-thirds had a mobile phone and three out of four had a games console.