Sport 'not the only answer' to childhood obesity

Organised sport can be a barrier to improving children's health, a Bradford expert said

An academic at the University of Bradford has said that a focus on sport is not helping children become more physically active.

Dr Andrew Daly-Smith said sport is seen as a "barrier" to moving more by children who do not enjoy taking part.

The child health expert has worked with 50 schools in the city to identify the reasons for pupils' inactivity and rates of obesity.

Bradford Council figures suggest that one in five children in reception classes are overweight, and one in three primary school leavers.

'Good choices'

Dr Daly-Smith told the BBC that he wanted to see more emphasis on general lifestyle changes rather than children being encouraged to join sports clubs.

He said headteachers had told him that team sports were not always effective in helping pupils to enjoy exercise.

“While establishing healthy nutrition in schools is a priority to lower levels of obesity, there is also a need for schools to help children move more," said Dr Daly-Smith.

“Sadly, the persistence of governments to focus on sport is turning many children and young people off being physically active.

"It's not about joining a sports club, it's more about ensuring physical movement and good lifestyle choices - like a healthy diet - are built into the school day."

He said alternative ways of getting children active could involve incorporating movement into classroom learning.

He suggested that teachers encouraged pupils to explore their school grounds and write a story about what they had found, or used games of hopscotch to teach times tables.

Dr Daly-Smith's comments followed Bradford Council's campaign to collect data from parents on what their children eat in an attempt to tackle the city's obesity problem.

Head of public health Tim Howells said: "In a cost of living crisis, people are more likely to access cheaper foods, which are generally less healthy.

"Their choices are being decided for them based on what's available."

'Unacceptable'

Sobering statistics about health inequalities in Bradford were discussed at the university's Whole-School Physical Activity conference earlier in June.

Professor Mark Mon-Williams from the University of Leeds told delegates that babies born in inner-city neighbourhoods close to Bradford Royal Infirmary were likely to die 10 years sooner than those from rural Wharfedale.

He added: “All the data shows children born into poorer families are 13 times more likely to have poorer health outcomes by the age of 70.

"It is absolutely imperative we start to support young people and change the systems to enable them to live healthy and prosperous lives."

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