Indian kids not the fittest for playfield
Unhealthy eating habits and lure of TV put our children at risk of becoming inactive Adults
Your children may feel like 'Superman' or John Cena, but the reality could be far from that. Unhealthy eating habits, having junk and processed foods, and the lure of sedentary options, including entertainment like TV, Internet and video games, has put an entire generation of Indian children at a risk of growing up to be inactive and unhealthy adults.
An annual study conducted by EduSports in 39 Indian cities during 2010-11 found that 61% percent of school children do not possess adequate skills to engage in sport; 48% are not fully proficient in running; 64% were not proficient at hopping; and 71% are unable to throw a ball or catch it properly.
As many as 19,797 children from 73 schools participated in the study, which analysed children in the age group of 7-10 on skills pertaining to loco-motor, manipulative, non-manipulative (or balancing) and spatial awareness skills. These skills are fundamental to any physical activity or sport.
At least 43% of the children had unhealthy body composition. Among the entire group, 24% recorded higher than normal signs of over-weight/obesity, coupled with poor flexibility scores. The remaining 57% had average to poor scores.
The fitness parameters for the study included endurance recorded by making children run/walk for 600 metres), recordings based on making them cover 30 metres in sprint, body/muscular strength (measured by sit & reach activity, sit ups, standing long jump), and flexibility and body mass index which identified children as underweight/healthy/over-weight or obese.
Combined, the children were found to have poor levels of skill development and low levels of physical fitness. These are known to deter children from physical activity and sports as they grow.
However, on a positive note, another programme which was embedded in the study found that a controlled and structured physical education programme, focussing on skill and fitness building (as per the age of the child) showed a marginal improvement across all key parameters among the children.
Unhealthy eating habits and lure of TV put our children at risk of becoming inactive Adults
Your children may feel like 'Superman' or John Cena, but the reality could be far from that. Unhealthy eating habits, having junk and processed foods, and the lure of sedentary options, including entertainment like TV, Internet and video games, has put an entire generation of Indian children at a risk of growing up to be inactive and unhealthy adults.
An annual study conducted by EduSports in 39 Indian cities during 2010-11 found that 61% percent of school children do not possess adequate skills to engage in sport; 48% are not fully proficient in running; 64% were not proficient at hopping; and 71% are unable to throw a ball or catch it properly.
As many as 19,797 children from 73 schools participated in the study, which analysed children in the age group of 7-10 on skills pertaining to loco-motor, manipulative, non-manipulative (or balancing) and spatial awareness skills. These skills are fundamental to any physical activity or sport.
At least 43% of the children had unhealthy body composition. Among the entire group, 24% recorded higher than normal signs of over-weight/obesity, coupled with poor flexibility scores. The remaining 57% had average to poor scores.
The fitness parameters for the study included endurance recorded by making children run/walk for 600 metres), recordings based on making them cover 30 metres in sprint, body/muscular strength (measured by sit & reach activity, sit ups, standing long jump), and flexibility and body mass index which identified children as underweight/healthy/over-weight or obese.
Combined, the children were found to have poor levels of skill development and low levels of physical fitness. These are known to deter children from physical activity and sports as they grow.
However, on a positive note, another programme which was embedded in the study found that a controlled and structured physical education programme, focussing on skill and fitness building (as per the age of the child) showed a marginal improvement across all key parameters among the children.
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