Ulrike Kögel (Monday group) 17.12.2006

School children should do sport on a daily basis

Years ago, it used to be normal that children play outside and are in

a healthy condition. In the tv and computer time age, many children

switched their playroom inside. They watch tv or play computer all day

long and are totally inactive. As a result, a large part of children is

overweight. Every 5th child and every 3rd teenager weighs too much. But

how can parents counter the overweight of their child? Children do sport

in school but unfortunately it is not enough. It is mostly just one or two

lessons each week. To counter the problem of inactivity school children

should do sport on a daily basis.

Many children are overweight and it is an increasing problem say

pediatricians. The result of it is high blood pressure, metabolism disorder,

diabetes etc. More and more teenagers run the risk of dying from a heart

attack later on. Support in physical exercise is important to prevent these

kinds of diseases.

Productivity and behavior in school plays a major role in becoming a

good student. Daily sport would influence students in many positive ways.

Sciences have shown that physical exercises increase the capacity of

school children. They are getting even better in other subjects than sport.

Interferences in the physical, mental and emotional development of a

child can be balanced with sport. Besides that, quality of movement,

physical fitness and motor activity can be upgraded.

Overweight children suffer from indignities regarding their

appearance. If these kids do sport on a daily basis, they will get more

self-consciousness because their ability to move spontaneously will

improve and loss of weight will make them feel better. Sport will influence

their personality.

The health system in Germany is loaded with many problems.

Politicians try to make a way out of it. With the prevention program of

schools which have a daily sport program, this load will be relieved. The

healthier children are the less they will claim money from the health

insurances.

Germany follows the trend of the USA: fat and inactive people, who

have several health problems, everywhere. The Germans need to counter

this trend and schools play an important role. If there is sport on a daily

basis in schools, the students have to like it. If they do not, they will find

reasons why they do not join the sport lesson. That is why it is essential

that the idea of achievements should not have priority. Moving and doing

sports should be fun for the students in first the first place so that they

stay active when the leave school. There are many possibilities to

experience a fun sport lesson: playing in the gym, doing games outside,

going swimming and inline skating etc.

Besides sport, there are also all the other subjects. If there is sport

for each class every day, the other lessons have to be reduced. There

might be the possibility that students learn less in the other subjects.

Maybe there should be one or two lessons of sport additional after the

regular schedule is finished.

Sport has many positive results. The negative side of exercising is

that one can be injured. If there is sport on a daily basis in schools, the

risk of sport accidents is much higher. But if children do not do sport

every day, the risk of becoming overweight is the same. So it is better to

be active and maybe break a leg, which will recover, than being fat and

die from a heart attack later on.