Schools are urged to join challenge

SECONDARY schools across Co. Wicklow are being invited to take part in a national fitness challenge to improve students' health.

Aviva Health Insurance this week launched the Schools' Fitness Challenge 2013 for 1st and 2nd year pupils in Wicklow to get teenagers more active.

This year's nationwide challenge is an initiative developed by Dublin City University in conjunction with the Wellness Economic Initiative Alliance.

It is a unique initiative that aims to make physical fitness among school-going children a national priority by creating awareness about the issue.

Recent research shows that one quarter of school-going children in Ireland have risk factors for heart disease, such as poor aerobic fitness levels, being overweight or obese and having high blood pressure.

Speaking to this newspaper, Dr. Sarah Kelly who will be monitoring the challenge says that 86 per cent of schoolgoing children spend more than two hours daily, sitting viewing TV, videos or playing on the computer.

Teachers are urged to register their interest in the national fitness challenge online at www.avi-vahealth.ie/fitnesschallenge by the closing date, Friday, January 18.