MINI BOOT CAMPS FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FOUR

▶ Exercise routines for pupils during classes are yielding some impressive results at one Dubai primary school

A mini boot camp for primary schoolchildren may seem an extreme way of pushing the healthy living message but the idea is delivering impressive results for one Dubai school.

Children as young as 4 at Manor Primary School are taking part in a daily 1.6-kilometre walk around the school grounds. Other fitness sessions are also being incorporated into the school curriculum.

Drastic measures were taken by the head teacher, Karen Davies. The Briton had been shocked at just how unfit the children were.

Her methods may be more revolution than evolution, but they are giving children a newfound love of exercise and the school, in Al Safa, has been receiving rave reviews from parents.

“As a new head teacher in Dubai, I found quite a lot of the children were unfit and had a weak core that affected their ability to sit properly at a table or to write for a period of time,” Mrs Davies said.

“Quite a few had reduced mobility, so I asked why? We found their stamina was shocking. There is a sports hall we use with a 100-metre lap and I was shocked to find out how few pupils were able to complete a lap without stopping.

“Since then, we’ve introduced core strengthening exercises every day and a mile-a-day walk.”

The World Health Organisation has identified childhood obesity as one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century.

Globally, the number of overweight children under the age of 5 was estimated at 42 million in 2015.

In the same year, Dubai Health Authority research found 20 per cent of children under the age of 11 were obese, while 40 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds were classified as overweight.

A Ras Al Khaimah study of 44,942 children and young people published last year found similar results.

Those aged between three and 18 were assessed — 24 per cent were obese; 40 per cent were overweight; and 5.7 per cent tipped the scales as morbidly obese. Of those who took part in the study, 90 per cent were Emiratis.

Children up to the ages 11 and 12 at Manor Primary are taking part in regular exercise during the school day. Starting children early in a healthy living education is important to develop good habits that will last a lifetime, Mrs Davies said.

The school has 111 children, so the numbers are manageable. Children are also encouraged to do skipping, active play at break times and to ride their bikes, with help from teachers.

“A couple seriously struggled but, because of the way we teach, I tell the children to be proud of what they can do whatever their ability,” Mrs Davies said. “Every child now either walks or runs a mile a day. We measured the distance around the school and teachers now take each class for a milea-day lesson. It also acts as a concentration break and gets them outside.

“Many children are indoor kids and rarely go outside, particularly in the summer. We make sure they wear a hat, take a drinking bottle and walk in the shade.

“We have noticed much improvement in concentration in the class, particularly at the end of the day.”

The school has also banned the use of hand-held electronic devices, a move supported by parents, and by Dr Sadaf Jalil Ahmed, a school doctor in Dubai. Dr Ahmed said the school is leading the way with its approach to healthy living.

“Manor Primary School is a smaller school but it has adopted strict new measures to encourage youngsters to take up more exercise from an early age,” she said.

“It is having a positive effect on the children and is an approach that should be developed by other schools.”

Overweight and obese children are likely to stay that way as adults and more likely to develop diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems at a younger age.

A report card on physical activity for children and youth last year found only 17 per cent of UAE children achieved the recommended hour of moderate to vigorous exercise every day.

“Children should not spend longer than an hour a day sitting doing no activity,” said Dr Noobi Koya, a paediatrician at the Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai.

A Ras Al Khaimah study found 24% to be obese, 40% overweight and 5.7% morbidly obese