NEW DELHI: A survey encompassing 73,000 school students aged 7 to 17 nationwide has brought to light a concerning trend: two in five children lack a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), and three in five exhibit insufficient upper and lower body strength. Interestingly, girls outperformed boys in BMI and flexibility, while boys excelled in aerobic capacity and lower body strength.
Conducted across 250 cities and towns, including metros, the survey highlighted that two in five children lack the desired anaerobic capacity, and an even higher proportion, three in four, lack the required aerobic capacity. The 12th Annual Health Survey, facilitated by Sportz Village through its EduSports in-school Physical Education & Sports program, further revealed that one in three children lacks the desired abdominal or core strength, while three out of five lack adequate upper and lower body strength.
These findings underscore the urgency of prioritising physical fitness initiatives and cultivating healthy lifestyle habits among school-aged children. Sportz Village, a youth sports platform dedicated to promoting physical activities among children, emphasises the need to address these concerns to prevent potential long-term health issues.
In understanding the terms used in the context of physical fitness, aerobic capacity refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to the muscles, while anaerobic capacity involves the total energy derived from anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems, crucial for high-intensity short-duration exercises like sprinting. Abdominal or core strength relates to the torso muscles, influencing posture, and flexibility is measured by the joints’ ability to move freely.
Upper body strength encompasses the power of muscles such as Pectorals (chest), Rhomboids (upper back), Deltoids (outer shoulder), Triceps (back of the upper arm), and Biceps (front of the upper arm). On the other hand, lower body strength involves the strength of muscles in the legs, such as quadriceps (muscles on the front of the upper leg), Hamstrings (muscles on the back of the upper leg), Gluteals, Hip Flexors, and Calf muscles.
The study observed that a higher percentage of girls exhibited healthier BMI levels, with 62% of girls achieving scores within the healthy range. In contrast, boys showed a comparatively lower percentage in this regard. Further scrutiny of specific physical fitness parameters revealed that girls outperformed boys in flexibility and upper body strength. These findings underscore the positive impact of regular physical activity on these aspects of girls’ health. However, the survey also highlights areas where boys demonstrate stronger performance, such as in aerobic capacity and lower body strength.
These nuanced insights into gender-specific health indicators underscore the importance of tailored approaches in promoting overall well-being among both boys and girls.
The survey further revealed that more children in private schools exhibit better upper body strength levels (43%) compared to their counterparts in government schools (31%).
However, children from government schools performed better in BMI, aerobic capacity, and flexibility.
The survey also brought attention to the significance of Physical Education (PE) periods, noting their pivotal role in shaping children’s health. For instance, comprehensive data unveiled a noteworthy correlation between the number of PE sessions per week and various aspects of children’s physical fitness.
Saumil Majmudar, CEO & Managing Director of Sportz Village, cited survey results that he deemed discouraging, emphasising the need for sports to be considered an integral part of education, providing opportunities for children to engage in structured physical activities. Majumdar lamented that unfortunately, there is a tendency among school leaders and parents to perceive sports and physical education as non-essential and less important than academics. Consequently, less time and energy are devoted to physical activity, resulting in poor health among children. However, various studies have demonstrated that regular structured physical activity not only improves physical health but also influences mental health and academic performance, he added.
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