For the Health of our Families

Something has been really bothering me for a long time since my first born started school..... I have noticed that schools are doing more to effect inactivity than to promote activity. Most elementary and secondary schools have minimal physical activity requirements in their curriculum. Many no longer offer after school activity programs. Within communities, the budgets of parks and recreation departments have been reduced resulting in fewer physical activity programs that are less accessible and more expensive to the average family. No matter the work that has been done over the years to promote the value of physical activity our children are moving ALOT less- inactivity has become the norm.

Taken from a York University study, "the number of overweight children between the ages of 7 and 13 has doubled in the last fifteen years. Juvenile obesity has become a major health issue. Society's increasing dependence on technology has significantly eroded traditional activity levels. More children are choosing to sit in front of a computer or a television set instead of participating in some form of physical activity. The increased consumption of fast (high fat) food, combined with this Internet and television culture is further cause for concern. Four in ten Canadian children have at least one risk factor for heart disease due to an inactive lifestyle (CAHPERD, 1998)." I can bet these stats are far worse for the year 2011.

It isn't new news to anyone that the lives of our children will be shortened. Scientific evidence shows that as inactivity persists and as obesity increases that will result in a slew of health issues and disease which will ultimately decrease their quality of life as they age. I really think we need to take this more seriously (including me and my family)..... there is nothing wrong with smart phones, laptops, nintendo wii's and DS's, x-boxes, ipods. computers etc. etc. but it is how much we are using them and how much our children our using them. Over the last couple of weeks I have become a nazi with the time limits on all our computers.... our kids need to play outside much much more! This discipline will also have to apply to me, since I also love technology but I have decided that my kids need to see me place high priority on being active- which is a passion that has seemed to have taken a back seat over the years.
I think there is great value to extra curricular sports, not only for the physical but all the skills they acquire. I feel kids need these sports outside school because they certainly are not getting adequate physical activity in school, the unfortunate part is many families cannot afford the costs.. I think the 2 nutrition breaks that have been implemented in schools are a step in the right direction but the onus can't just be on schools, the health of our kids are ultimately our own responsibility at the end of the day. I feel that our families, schools and communities can do better, what do you think?