WAG School sport failure feeding obesity crisis in Wales - Randerson

11.08.00am GMT Fri 9th Jan 2009

Jenny Randerson has long campaigned for better excersise in schools

As recent figures revealed that an alarming 20% of Welsh children are obese, Welsh Lib Dem research has revealed that the Labour-Plaid Government is failing to reach its own target of providing at least two hours of Physical Education a week to Welsh school children.

A 2008 Estyn report found that six out of every 10 of the schools surveyed did not provide the recommended minimum of two hours a week of physical education and a Sports Council for Wales report found that the average time spent on PE in primary and secondary schools was 95 minutes per week. On average Welsh school children miss out on 16 hours of Physical Exercise per school year.

Jenny Randerson, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Education Minister and sponsor of the Healthy School Food Measure said that she was extremely concerned that children in Welsh schools are not getting enough exercise and their poor diet could have grave consequences for their future health.

Jenny Randerson said:

"This Labour-Plaid Government is failing to ensure that our children are getting enough exercise while at school. Over the school academic year children miss out on an average of 12 rugby matches or 16 netball matches. Sport is an important part of Welsh life and taking sporting opportunities away from our young people will not produce gold medal winning athletes, Grand Slam winning rugby teams and F.A. Cup final footballers.

"As well as getting exercise, physical education is important in promoting team building and working as a member of a team. Sports such as rugby or netball help students build a rapport with their counterparts and also show how they can win - or at least play to their best.

Jenny Randerson added:

"The last decade has seen a startling increase in childhood obesity with over a third of children classed as overweight and 20% obese.These are startling figures and the Labour-Plaid Government needs to start taking our young peoples' health seriously.

"I am currently in the process of introducing a Welsh law that will provide the best possible nutritional standards for our school children, this coupled with more physical exercise in school is the right way to ensure that our children do not suffer serious health conditions when they grow up. The cost of failure will be disastrous for individuals and will bankrupt our health service."

Notes:

Table 1: Percentage of overweight children, by gender, 2007

Source: Welsh Health Survey 2007, chapter 6, table 6.4

(a) Children aged 2-15.

(b) Based on 85th (overweight) and 95th (obese) percentiles of the 1990 UK BMI reference curves (see Annex A).

(c) Revised.

The Estyn report can be accessed here:

http://www.estyn.gov.uk/publications/food_and_fitness_in_schools.pdf

Sports Council for Wales Survey 2006-07

¡ Secondary School pupils - average time spent on PE/Sports was 96 minutes per week

¡ Primary School pupils - average time spent on PE/Sports was 98 minutes per week

The Welsh Assembly Government accepts the recommendation of Physical Education and School Sport Task Force (2001) that the amount of PE and school sport each week for children in Wales should be at least two hours. This was set out in its Climbing Higher Strategy (p.9), summarised below:

Target 2: All children of primary school age will participate in sport and physical activity for at least

60 minutes, five times a week.

• All primary schools will provide a minimum of 2 hours of curricular based sport and

physical activity per week.

Target 3: At least 90% of boys and girls of secondary school age will participate in sport and

physical activity for 60 minutes, five times a week.

• All secondary schools will provide a minimum of 2 hours of curricular based and 1 hour of

extra curricular sport and physical activity per week.