obesity in children

magily · 31-07-2006, 12:45

Because of the rise in the number of obese children the goverment of Ontario Canada is now making a stand. So as of Sept it is mandatory in all elementary schools for children to exercise for a mimimum of 20 mins per day, this is above gym and recesses. So the way it was explained to me is that the teachers have to come up with a work out routine that the kids can do in the classroom. I was curious as to what you make of this as I believe that obesity in children is high in the UK also. I have mixed feelings I think it is important that children learn the importance of exercise and healthy eating but I think education is important to. My four children are all very active and eat very well that is because as a parent I see that as my role. I think I would rather have my children being taught those 2hrs per week as opposed to exercising.What do you think?

lettie · 31-07-2006, 15:34

I think that it is reasonable to give kids extra exercise in schools but this should not be at the expense of their education. If they want the kids to have 20 minutes exercise then the school day should be 20 minutes longer or the lunch break 20 minutes shorter.

Tealeaf · 31-07-2006, 15:42

I think they should have lunchtime compulsory hopscotch & skipping for the girls. How often do you see that in playgrounds now? I would also have compulsory footy for the boys. I seem to recall that when I was a 7 year old we played world war 2 stuff...messersmidts and spitfires. That kept you pretty fit, running around the playground shooting each other up. These days I suppose it would be Israeli F-16s and Hezbazollah rocket launchers.

chav1 · 31-07-2006, 16:01

i heard on the radio today about children getting asbos for playing football in the street

now with no decent parks and no ball games sighns on every piece of grass around its no wonder kids dont get half tehe exercise we did when younger

personaly i think anyone dialing 999 to report kids playing football in the street should be locked in the cells for 24 hours for wasting police time

i wouldnt mind but half the idiots that ring up the police reporting children probably played football , kerby etc when they were young

i remeber a few months ago that a man and his 2 year old son were served with an asbo for kicking the ball along the pavement to each other because neighbours complained

magily · 31-07-2006, 16:14

Sadly because of all the electronic stuff for the kids these days they all have very little imaginations, let's face it a game of hopscotch or elastics is pretty boring comapared to all the fancy toys now.I can't respond about them playing football on the street having not lived there for 18yrs but here the kids all play street hockey and I couldn't imagine anyone phoning the police. After watching Jamie Olivers school dinners there is no doubt that kids need educating regarding healthy eating and exercise but lets be honest it has to come from the parents.

SPUGGIE J · 31-07-2006, 16:31

It is sad that kids cant play on a street when there are no other places to go. Was the "nieghbour who did the "grassing" on them not a child once or did they grow up in a home that was like a prison. One way to stay healthy is to give them a bike but unfortunately most roads are too dangerous for that activity. Then there is swimming at the sports centre or is there a whole set of rules stopping this? Maybe it is uncool to be running around like kids should because of what society has become?

Busman747 · 31-07-2006, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by magily

After watching Jamie Olivers school dinners there is no doubt that kids need educating regarding healthy eating and exercise but lets be honest it has to come from the parents.

Yes, it should come from the parents, but often it is not as easy as that.

I have two lovely step-daughters aged 12 and 15. The eldest is slim and fit, but the youngest already has a major weight problem. They both eat the same meals and enjoy the same activities (2 hours Irish dancing each week, they come out pretty kna****ed) They walk part way to school most mornings and the same in the evening, so why are they so different?

Their mother (Willow) is well over-weight, she acknowledges this and tries so hard to lose the pounds - - but how do you explain to a 12 year old that she faces major problems in the near future if her eating habits are not changed?

At the moment, there is no incentive for her to lose weight, her health is good, no interest in boys (or very little.) We "dabble" in foods that are low calorie but BOTH the girls hate it Is it fair to put one sister on a low calorie (horrible) diet while the other enjoys normal food, or do we put BOTH on a strict diet which will cause resentment from the older sister.

In our particular instance, I think that the best solution would be for the school to "round up" all the over-weight kids and use their teaching skills to educate these youngsters so that one day (dream ) she would come home from school and say: "Mum, can I have a salad tonight?"

I expect the reply to be that we should concentrate on the youngest, put her on a diet - - and put up with the screaming, but anyone that has brought up teenage girls will probably agree that there is more than enough screaming and tears from them without this additional problem.

magily · 31-07-2006, 17:51

I agree that for parents it is difficult to feed them healthy with all the conveniance foods that are available. I do not agree with putting any child on a "diet" unless doctor recommended, what I do think though is that as a parent you can encourage and model healthy eating. I do the shopping so as the Mum I am responsible for what I buy and what foods are prepared.Don't misunderstand me , my kids do eat some sweets and crisps but will also eat a healthy salad for their tea. It is sometimes easier to make subtle changes rather than a crash diet.

SPUGGIE J · 31-07-2006, 18:17

Well there are some kids who like salad Busman my young niece loves it the only snag is the "emissions" as a result of all this good food.

Madhatter · 31-07-2006, 19:17

look, all this talk is total rubbish, pysical activity, pe, gym has always been part of the education system because it is part of being educated They will be educated, for two hours in how to keep themselves fit and active.

Also we had two breaks 'play time' and lunch too. We spent that walking around in the later years, and playing british bulldog in the earlier years.

It's about time this country went back to the way of thinking that kids health is part of the education system, and so is teaching right from wrong. Too many bloody do gooder wanting to 'improve' everything or give kids 'rights' that are detrimental to their well being.
It scares me cos these people will be looking after me if I live that long. when I'm 70 kids being born now will be 35 yr old carers, what am i gonna do, get up and go to the front door cos they are so fat they can't fit though it.

magily · 31-07-2006, 19:41

Madhatter you are right that pe has always been part of the education system but the post was about the fact that in Ontario they are saying an additional 20mins a day. So my kids will have gym twice a week, music twice a week, two 15min breaks as well as lunch and now another 20mins per day doing some form of exercise in the classroom. I just feel that I would rather have my kids being taught academics as opposed to fitness. Judging by one of the other post about how some kids struggle struggle doing basic maths I think it says it all. I know that this additional exercise is not practised in UK schools but you never know they may implement it at some point.

Madhatter · 31-07-2006, 20:09

You should be worrying about how they are wasting the academics teaching time that they do get Magily.
Personally I think the school should be doing something with them during morning break instead of this, or extend one of the gym classes.
Also If it's needed with two gym classses a week I'd be asking questions as to what they do in these gym classes.

I think your looking at it from the wrong angle.

magily · 31-07-2006, 20:42

I am totally confused with your reply. Why do you think that I am looking at it from the wrong angle? I do not have a problem with the academics that my kids are being taught at the moment, I just have a problem with my child doing jumping jacks as opposed to times tables.

West Ender · 31-07-2006, 21:06

Twenty minutes a day exercising in lesson time? That is ludicrous. Far better to ban parking within 200 yards of the school, to discourage the idle parents and children who won't walk that far, and have compulsary games lessons.

In the ''bad old days'' of discipline, when I was at Primary School not long after the war, we had to line up in the playground to march into school at the end of each break. This march was often preceded by 2 minutes of star-jumps or toe-touching, instigated by ex-service teachers who believed in fitness. P E lessons often consisted of ''drill'', quick-marching, running-on-the-spot etc., or running and jumping round the draughty hall, and we had games twice a week. Playtime was outside in all weathers and if kids hung around, inactive, they were made to run a circuit of the playground by the teacher on duty.

All that activity, combined with a fairly austere diet due to rationing (''Eat your greens or you'll go hungry'') and the lack of private transport so you had to walk to school, meant there was little obesity.

magily · 31-07-2006, 21:32

Thank you west ender, I also think it is ludicrous. This is to start in Sept because of the concerns regarding obese children. I honestly think it is some of the parents that need educating on health issues not the kids.