Cross-posted at Fussbucket

Kids who are allowed to leave the house unsupervised are more sociable and more active, according to a new study out of the University College London in England.  According to this article from Science Daily, kids who are given more freedom are out and about more and spend more time at friends' houses than kids who must be accompanied by an adult.

The study included 330 students from two schools in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, all aged between 8 and 11, the article says. The children completed questionnaires, kept travel diaries, had their movements logged using GPS monitors and wore portable motion sensors to measure their speed of travel, changes in direction and the number of 'activity calories' they consumed. ('Activity calories' are those burnt during activities, rather than those used to maintain core bodily functions.)

"We asked children whether they were allowed out without an adult and then looked at where they go and how they behave," says lead researcher Roger Mackett. "In general, children who aren't constantly supervised tend to leave the house more often -- exploring their surroundings, playing with other children and using up more calories than their sedentary, house-bound peers."

Children walk faster and take a more direct route when an adult is present, but they do not use more energy than unaccompanied children, the study found. This is because unsupervised children move in a more meandering fashion as they investigate their environment and socialize with other children.