Almost three-quarters of Scottish parents think their children are taking enough exercise.

However, only one in 10 is in reality.

A new study from the British Heart Foundation called Couch Kids has highlighted that around one-third of young Scots are overweight or obese.

Scottish parents do not realise how physically active their children should be, the charity has warned.

It claims there have been “no major changes” in activity levels in the past five years. Experts say children need an hour a day to be healthy.

Health experts also warned that parents were fooling themselves that their children were getting enough exercise.

Andy Carver, care adviser with the charity, said: “Mums and dads need to take off the blinkers about how active kids need to be in order to keep their hearts healthy.

“Kids need to get moving more, yet we’ve been standing still for years.

“Parents have such an important role in helping and encouraging their kids to be more active by building exercise into their everyday lives, whether that’s taking part in team sports, playing outside with their friends or walking to school.”

At the Meadows in Edinburgh yesterday, Muriel and Ian Chapple ensured their family Ruby 10, Hamish, eight, and Tabitha, five, had their minimum exercise quota as they took their children out on scooters.

Meanwhile, three-year-old Levi Simons raced dad David through the park on his bike.

David, 37, of Canonmills, who is originally from the Holland, said exercise was vital for his family and admitted Scottish children were more overweight then Dutch youngsters.

He said: “We are not constantly thinking about the amount of exercise Levi gets, because we would rather do things which he enjoys.

“For example we swim twice a week, but it’s not me that’s pushing for that, he just likes swimming and we encourage these sort of activities.

“We like to be outside, we are not hiking all day long, but we like being in the park getting some exercise and it’s good for him.

“It’s a lot worse and there are more overweight people here than in the Netherlands. I think a lot of it also has to do with the food. “It’s too easy for people to eat processed foods.”

The British Heart Foundation also wants better provision of youth clubs, open spaces and cycle paths to encourage more children to exercise.

It also called on the Scottish Government to work with councils to ensure it meets its target that children receive two hours of physical education a week.

BHF researchers found there was a “reality gap” between what parents believe and what actually happens in day-to-day life.

The report also said a lack of exercise among youngsters was fuelling childhood obesity.

Children are taking no more exercise than a decade ago and obesity levels have risen dramatically over the same period.

In 1995, 11% of boys and 12% of girls were overweight or obese, rising to 17% and 16% respectively in 2007.

The survey polled more than 900 parents and discovered children were leading sedentary lifestyles and playing more computer games and watching more television than they should.

The BHF report found that the Active Schools programme in Scotland has helped to encourage healthy lifestyles at school and into adulthood.

But it added: “While there has been good progress on integrating physical education into the school day and local sports strategies, provision is not universal or necessarily prioritised.”

Similar figures were also found among children in England and Wales which health experts insisted was finally beginning to change.

Children burn off fat and calories faster than adults

Children need fewer calories than adults and, until a child is fully grown, their calorie intake can be as low as 1400.

Age, height, level of activity and amount of exercise also affect the number of calories needed and evidence suggests children burn calories more quickly than adults.

Recent health studies point towards children also burning fat more quickly than adults, meaning children need relatively little added fat in their diet.

Several studies have been carried out into the rate of calorie burn for children which have shown smaller bodies burn off calories much quicker than adults.

In addition to sufficient exercise, experts say it is better for children to enjoy a healthy diet and let them develop naturally rather than counting calories, which could lead to problems in later life.