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Healthier, fitter, focused Studies show that 86pc of young people in Ireland don’t meet current physical activity recommendations, which could seriously affect their health and performance in school. With over 120,000 Irish secondary school students taking part in the Irish Life Health Schools’ Fitness Challenge between 2012-2016, has there been an improvement in the health of our nation’s secondary schoolchildren? Here are the results
Students of St Macartan’s College, Monaghan (winners of Ireland’s overall fittest and overall improved school), Raymond McHugh, Principal (left) and Garrett Coyle, PE Teacher (right) with Thomas Barr and Ashling Thompson (centre)
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hether you’re a PE teacher or physiologist Dr Sarah Kelly and Schools’ parent, you may have experienced Fitness Challenge creator Prof Niall Moyna a time where a teenager will try to (Centre for Preventative Medicine, DCU) get out of doing sport or exercises, – allows schoolchildren to evaluate and mainly because of a lack of interest. rank their own fitness levels, in relation to A whopping 96pc of teachers believe age- and gender-specific normative data. that at least one student fakes an excuse – “Exercise should be viewed as medicine, such as forgetting their gear or feeling unwell as it can positively effect and influence – to get out of every PE class. current and future physical and mental And by not doing any health,” says Prof Moyna. “More of exercise during the an emphasis needs to be put week, this can have a on exercise, encouraging negative impact on healthier behaviour a child’s overall among students.” health not just It’s not just health e v a oh h now, but also in that exercise can have w e nts the long-term. benefits on – studies tude els had th of a s f Research by have also shown that o c v e e p g l 87 )a ss the Centre for there is a positive s l e e n t s Preventative link between physical low fi blood ves man*. ( Medicine, fitness and academic ld r o a l r u a Dublin City performance. ys o vasc 5-60-ye b 2 University According to the of 8 er 5 y d u t v (DCU), showed Australian Council ical s ted o a clin ta collec School n that 75pc of unfit for Health, Physical o a d y d e b s h a t h i *B 15-year-old boys Education and 15 w n searc aged years. Re nd Huma had high blood Recreation, exercise a pressure and 62pc promotes faster learning three f Health ce at DCU o were at a high risk of of new vocabulary; improves rman o f r e P developing Type 2 diabetes. short-term memory, reaction time and creativity and increases Making changes attention span and coordination. To make physical fitness a national priority, “Any form of activity is better than and one that students become more none,” says Prof Moyna. “We should move enthusiastic about, the Irish Life Health away from the rigidity of the current PE Schools’ Fitness Challenge was designed curriculum to periods of physical activity to to assess and improve fitness levels among encourage senior cycle students, particularly Irish secondary schools. Now in its fifth girls, to stay active. The new PE curriculum year, the programme – overseen by exercise drafted for Junior Certificate students is a
U DID YOW? KNO
2016 Winning Schools Ireland’s Fittest School Mixed
Presentation Secondary School, Milltown, Kerry
Boys/Overall
St Macartan’s College, Monaghan
Girls
Mount Anville Secondary School, Dublin
Ireland’s Most Improved School Mixed
Colaiste Choilm, Cork
Boys /Overall
St Macartans College, Monaghan
Girls
Scoil Chrioste RI, Laois
paradigm shift that is long overdue, and if it is properly resourced, it has the potential to have a profoundly positive impact on the current and future health of Irish teenagers.”
Striking gold
With encouragement and inspiration from the schools’ PE teachers, as well as Olympian Thomas Barr and Cork camogie player Ashling Thompson, 2016’s Irish Life Health Schools’ Fitness Challenge saw 22,764 Irish secondary school students taking part (10,935 girls and 11,828 boys) – more than in any previous year. Students began with an initial fitness ‘bleep’ test, where they ran continuously between two lines 20 metres apart in time to recorded bleeps. The number of bleeps increase gradually within the one-minute interval, requiring students to run faster to complete a ‘shuttle’ (run). The aim is to
complete as many shuttles as possible before or as each bleep sounds. If a student fails to reach the line before the bleep for two consecutive runs, the assessment is done. After just six weeks of exercise training (phase 2), students experienced a significant improvement in fitness levels, with first year boys and fourth year girls showing the biggest improvement overall. 2016’s winning schools came from Monaghan, Kerry and Dublin. Mathew O’Leary from Bunclody Vocational School, Wexford and Louise O’Dowd from Presentation Secondary School, Milltown, Kerry were awarded overall fittest boy and girl in the programme, with St Macartan’s College, Monaghan winning the overall fittest and most improved. Onwards and upwards!
For more information on the Irish Life Health Schools’ Fitness Challenge, visit www.irishlifehealth.ie/fitnesschallenge/