All children under five should exercise for at least three hours each day, suggests new government guidelines.

In an effort to reduce childhood obesity, health experts are this week set to release exercise advice for toddlers for the first time.

It comes after NHS figures revealed that nearly a quarter of children are overweight or obese when they start primary school, and that this figure could raise to 63 per cent by 2050 unless action is taken.

Furthermore, Martin Lombard - from the department of health - told The Sun that Britain's culture of over-eating was putting around half a million children's lives at risk. 

As such, parents have been encouraged to walk with their child to nursery; whilst the new guidelines could also increase the onus on anyone in a nursery nurse job to engage in physical activities with children.

Speaking to The Guardian, England's chief medical officer, Sally Davies, explained the advice is based on scientific evidence.

She said: "Play that allows under-fives to move about is critical and three hours a day is essential. I think there are parents who are not aware how important is is for their children to be physically active for a minimum of three hours.

"Other parents are very busy and may not see how important it is to get that prioritisation and balance right."