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Sport and fitness for today’s youth
October 2009 £2.75
Community call made to Welsh schools SCHOOLS in Wales are being urged to open up their sports facilities for community use. The Sports Council for Wales has launched a new campaign to utilise more public facilities in the fight against childhood obesity and inactivity. The initiative follows concerns about the country’s position at the head of the league of obese nations with some of the highest obesity rates for young people in the world. Official figures show almost half of all children in Wales – 45 per cent – do not meet the Government guidelines of an hour of exercise five times a week or more. However, the council believes that schools can play a central role in improving children’s physical activity rates and the country’s overall health. Huw Jones, Sports Council for Wales chief executive, said: “We know that maximising school facilities might not be the solution for every local authority but where communities are in need of local facilities on their doorstep such as clubs with busy junior sections, it could be a massive help.” It is also hoped that opening up school facilities after hours will alleviate parents’ fears about stranger dan-
gers and encourage them to let their kids play outdoors. Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the British Medical Association, said:"It's essential to get kids moving and opening up school playing fields will increase the safe areas where they can play out of school hours. “In deprived areas, many parents are scared to let their children go outside because the roads are so busy, and in many communities there are the additional dangers of unsafe environments. This campaign is a step in the right direction.” The council has praised those schools which have already opened up their facilities to the community and is hoping to advise other schools who wish to follow suit. Porth County Community School in Rhondda Cynon Taf is one example, running an extra curricular programme known as E3+. From Monday evening through to Saturday the school hosts Cardiff City FC Academy training and swimming lessons for children as young as three. A range of other sessions are also offered in term time and holidays including basketball, cricket and canoeing skills in the pool.
More play brings more rest
Star of TV’s Gladiators, Sam Bond aka Atlas, has joined forces with Shokk to help inspire more young people get fit. He will be working with the team to further develop the company’s strength conditioning training and equipment. Sam’s aim is to reduce the stigma attached to weight training, especially in the youth market, and wants to use his power training approach to help motivate young people to achieve their fitness goals. He said: “I am really pleased to have been given the opportunity to help young people reach their potential. Weight training is a fantastic way for this younger demographic to stay healthy and increase their interest in a positive lifestyle. Effective training can be utilised in so many ways and help them develop through life and any chosen sport.”
A NEW study has found that the more active children are during the day, the faster they fall asleep at night. Researchers also found that children who fall asleep faster tend to stay asleep for longer. The study included 519 healthy seven year olds from New Zealand who were part of a larger study tracking their development since birth. The researchers found some took as little as 13 minutes to sleep, but others needed more than 40 minutes after going to bed. Children who were more physically active during the day fell asleep more quickly than their less active peers. On average, children took an extra three minutes to fall asleep for every hour they weren’t active and got one extra hour of sleep for every 11 minute drop in how long they took to get to sleep.