A new US study has shown that 74 per cent of children aged between five and 10 do not get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day - and it could be down to the indifference of their parents.

A study by YMCA in the US found that only 15 per cent of American parents rank overall physical health as the top concern for their children.

Despite growing rates of childhood obesity and chronic illness among the nation's kids, 74 per cent of parents opt to spend family time with their kids sitting in front of the TV while 17 per cent of parents are more concerned of the "moral and ethical values" of their children than the lack of physical activity.

The report, called YMCA Family Health Snapshot also shows that 58 percent of children ages five to 10 spend less than four days a week playing outdoors.

Lynne Vaughan, YMCA's chief innovation officer said: "We now see just how badly parents struggle to find the time and resources to incorporate physical activity and healthier habits into their kids' daily routine."

For the full report, click here.