Fitness tests presented as answer to childhood inactivity

Primary schools should test pupils' fitness in the same way as subjects like Maths and English to stem the tide of physical inactivity threatening to overwhelm the NHS, a new report from ukactive has concluded.

The not-for-profit health body calls for routine testing of children's fitness as its ‘Generation Inactive’ report reveals less than half of primary schools are recording time spent being physical active.

The report, which has received backing from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, highlights how ever-rising rates of physical inactivity in children could lead to 'generation inactive' becoming a huge drain on the NHS in years to come as they develop chronic conditions associated with inactivity ranging from diabetes to cancers.

A series of statistics set out in the report highlight the scale of the problem and the impact it is already having:

•tOnly half of seven year olds are meeting the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes per day.
•tInactivity directly and indirectly costs the UK economy£20 bn a year.NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has stated that an extra £8billion a year is required by 2020 to maintain health services - on top of £22bn of efficiency savings.
•tAn inactive person spends 37 per cent more days in hospital and visits the doctor 5.5 per cent more often than an active individual.
•tInactive people are also significantly more likely to suffer from depression, and dementia than physically active adults.
•tThe report describes the physical inactivity pandemic as, "a ticking time bomb under the shared pledges of all political parties to maintain a NHS free at the point of need".

Following the report, ukactive has outlined a series of recommendations it says provide a pathway towards solving the physical inactivity pandemic in schools. They include integrating physical activity throughout the school day to ensure children achieve the 60 minutes of daily exercise recommended by CMOs.

Other recommendations in the Generation Inactive report include:
•tThe government should extend the National Child measurement programme to measure fitness in addition to the current measurement of Body Mass Index based on height and weight - as BMI alone gives little indication of a child's physical fitness.
•tTo address the core issue of inactivity, the primary 'PE & Sport Premium' should be rebranded as the primary 'Physical Activity and PE Premium'.
•tGovernment should ensure that the competency to deliver an effective physical education curriculum is built in to teacher training alongside Maths, English and Science.
•tThe forthcoming Childcare Bill, which guarantees 30 hours' free childcare per week for children aged 3-4, should include a statutory requirement for a dedicated allocation of time for play, physical activity and cultivating physical literacy skills.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, ukactive's Chair and said:
"The current national ambition focused solely around PE lessons is simply not bold enough. We should aim higher and demand more.

"The focus should be on ensuring that children are given all the necessary support possible in order to achieve the 60 minutes of daily activity recommended in the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines.

"This does not mean we wish to see 60 minutes of timetabled PE per day. Instead, we are calling for a focus on a 'whole school approach'. This means looking at how children travel to and from school, the manner in which they integrate activity as simple as standing in lessons, the development of more effective and structured use of play time opportunities and the provision of pre- and post school activities.

"Schools which have adopted such an approach have had outstanding success in enhancing the health and wellbeing of their students as well as their educational attainment."

Emma Boggis, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said of today's report: “We welcome research and debate around physical activity as a crucial element of children’s health and social development. It is vital that physical activity is seen positively by children and their parents if it is to become a habit for a lifetime."

"We are, however, concerned about the consequences of UK Active’s proposals about testing young children’s fitness. There could be potentially serious consequences including children feeling very negative about being active. If this option is considered, then it must be part of a system that encourages all children to get and stay active."

“We do agree that there should be a whole-school approach and the emphasis for children should be on fun and inclusivity, which is why in our document Raising the heartbeart of the nation: a five step plan for a more active population we asked for increased investment in Initial Teacher Training for primary school teachers to ensure high-quality PE, sport and physical activity from the start of the educational journey.”

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