Scores over gadgets
Although it’s true that youngsters devote a lot of time and energy on smartphones as well as other electronic gadgets, thereby limiting their scope for outdoor activities, schoolchildren have gradually begun to understand the importance of fitness in lead
NEW DELHI: If you thought that every child is addicted to cellphones and e l e c t r o n i c g a d g e t s, t h i n k t w i c e. Just like adults, many children are also taking fitness seriously nowadays and are keen on maintaining a fit and healthy life. While most of them are engaged in sports, some also sweat it out in out in the gym or take dance and yoga lessons. Those who are unable to devote that much time stick to morning and evening walks or running.
Tanishq Juneja, Class 11 student, St Mark’s Senior Secondary School, Meera Bagh, believes that fitness is more important for kids in India as several of them suffer from obesity. “So many children are suffering from obesity in India and therefore, fitness is very important. Studies are important, but children should also stay fit and healthy. They should just take a half an hour break from studies in the morning and evening and got for a walk. That also helps freshen up one’s mind and reduces stress level. Staying indoors doesn’t help,” Tanishq says.
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2017, India has the second highest number of obese children in the world after China, with 14.4 million kids having excess weight. Children who are active 60 minutes per day demonstrate lower rates of obesity, according to health experts.
Some students believe that mental fitness is as important as physical fitness. Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet and mental relaxation are also necessary. Shruti Bansal, a Class 11 student of Vikas Bharati Public School, Rohini, says: “Fitness is not only a physical thing, but mental too. Apart from physical activities, we should also maintain a good diet and proper routine. We also need to sleep well. We should avoid sitting for hours and also junk food. Mental satisfaction is as much necessary as physical fitness. If we are happy and healthy from within, it reflects on your physique.” Frequent exercise decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety in children. Activities requiring a high degree of balance and coordination have been associated with improved emotional response.
Ravleen Kaur, a Class 9 student of Bal Bhavan International School, Dwarka, says: “Fitness is important because only if the next generation is physically and mentally fit, can they contribute to the economy of the country. People should do regular exercise, follow a balanced diet and eat the right nutrients so that the body builds up immune system, which will, in turn, help avoid diseases in old age.”
Tanishq strongly believes that fitness also helps in building one’s personality and self-image. “Visiting the gym or taking walks regularly helps us interact with others, which also helps in building one’s personality,” he says. Although Tanishq goes to the gym regularly, he is staunchly against youngsters taking protein supplements to build up muscles.
Several studies have linked higher test scores in reading and math with greater rates of activity in children. So, the development of cognitive (brain) faculties go hand-in-hand with physical (body) activity. Echoing a similar view, Shreyan Biswas, a Class 7 student of Amity International School, Mayur Vihar, says: “In between studies, students need a break away from the classroom as an opportunity to release pent-up energy. So, youngsters who participate in at least one extracurricular physical activity are likely to reap more benefits than those who do not exercise regularly. Engaging in sports activities every week improves the focus on school work, resulting in happier and healthier lives,” he says.
Many students look up to sportspersons, celebrities (see accompanying box) or even their parents for inspiration. For example, Anudhii Sundaram, a Class 11 student of Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan, credits her father for having taught her that devoting an hour daily for workout ensures not only physical fitness, but also a healthy mind. “Fitness is indispensable for leading a healthy and happy life. In between our tight schedules, we often overlook the need to be physically fit and healthy. All it needs a bit of zeal to be fit. Fitness helps us to overcome physical and mental fatigue, apart from stress, depression, and anxiety,” she says. Therefore, better late than never, just put on your shoes and indulge in your favourite form of exercise.
ACTIVITIES REQUIRING BALANCE, COORDINATION ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE