Every Saturday, young people get to have their say in the Dorset Echo's Voices page.

By Jasmine Cardiff

It's easy to get home at the end of a long day and crawl into your duvet or greet the sofa with more of a welcome than your parents, but is this the right thing to be doing day in, day out?

The answer is probably not, and there are too many young people choosing pastimes such as these as opposed to looking after their bodies and overall health by exercising.

I am horrified to say that only one in eight of those aged between five and 18 are getting their recommended daily dose of physical activity.

It is recommended by the NHS that young people should get 60 minutes a day of activity, with only three of these requiring aerobic exercise.

This is a fact that not enough young people are made aware of. Mental health is a huge worry amongst children besides the lack of participation in physical activity, with one in 10 in the UK suffering with a mental disorder.

Exercise may not be a cure for more serious illnesses, however going for a run or even a walk has been proven to help clear your mind. Encouraging young people to be more active could help.

There are plenty of general benefits that regular exercise has. Improving fitness, academic performance and the opportunity to socialise can be gained from sacrificing an hour out of your day.

Being a young person myself, I am aware that it is difficult to find the time to exercise around school work, socialising, part time jobs and other responsibilities.

Despite these pressures, I still find time to keep myself active and I believe that this is something that more young people should prioritise.

It’s so easy to get active and if finance is an issue, then running doesn’t cost a penny and it’s good fun too!

If you, or someone you know, loves writing then why not get involved? Email youth@dorsetecho.co.uk or tweet us @DorsetEchoVoices