Survey bemoans students’ lack of physical activity
Print Edition
A SURVEY has confirmed what people have long suspected — that as the students grow older, their enthusiasm for sports and related activities dims as well.
The survey of 110,000 local students by Shanghai University of Sport was conducted by an online questionnaire while the education authority monitored their fitness levels, sports behavior and the effect of the physical exercises on them.
The fitness level of primary school students was rated at 95.2 out of 100, while middle school and high school students got 94.1 and 94.7, respectively.
The survey found that about 26.8 percent of fourth-graders in primary school were inactive for “less than two hours” every day after class, but it dropped to 12.9 percent among sixth-graders, 4.1 percent for 15-year old middle school teenagers and 2.6 percent among 17-year-old high school students.
An inactive way of life is an indicator used to assess physique.
The more inactive the students are, the more hours they spend sitting or playing with electronic devices, posing health risks, said Tang Yan, a professor at the university and a member of the research group.
Besides, as the students grow older, they take in a lot more load for studies, Tang said.
“Many students spend a lot of time being inactive because they are forced to sit in front of their desks to do their homework,” he added. “The increasing popularity of electronic devices also mean they spend a lot of time sitting rather than moving.”
Research has shown that being inactive for too long leads to imbalance in energy metabolism and causes obesity among adolescents.
Less than 21 percent of boys and nearly 16 percent of girls spend at least one hour a day on moderate or vigorous physical activities, according to the report.
The survey also found that nearly 80 percent of parents supported physical activities for their children, but only 57 percent of them set an example by taking their children for some sport or activity. “The parents showed positive attitude, but they have to practice what they preach,” Tang said.
Insufficient urban land area was also a hindrance for the development of sports.
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