What distinguishes young people from their parents' or grandparents' generation is a lack of physical exercise. Today's generation are spending far too long playing computer games, chatting aimlessly on social networking sites or simply watching TV, and too little time being active. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Young people today are often reprimanded by their

parents

for living a passive lifestyle. In my country,

for example

, young

children

,

in particular

, are criticized for spending too long interacting with technology rather than being outside playing sports, climbing trees and doing all the other activities their

parents

claim they enjoyed as

children

. To what extent are these comments deserved? On the surface, they would appear justified. There is a whole industry that encourages

children

to lead a sedentary lifestyle,

for example

sitting in front of a PC or games console. Dedicated satellite or cable TV channels for young people offer the chance to sit idly watching one programme after the

next

, often repeats of something that was on the day or week before.

However

, it can

also

be argued that young people are adapting to the society they live in, a completely different place from the world their

parents

grew up in.

Firstly

, the roads today are far busier than they were in the past, which makes it very difficult for

children

to play outside.

Secondly

,

children

are often restricted from being outside by

parents

who have become overly concerned about dangers they imagine exist outside their four walls.

Finally

, it has to be said that many

parents

use the technology they complain about as a way of keeping young

children

occupied. I think

children

today are less active and that it is something we should be concerned about.

However

, it is wrong to put the blame on technology.

Children

should be encouraged more to take up sports at school and

parents

should be more willing to support their

children

in exploring the outside world.