Project Go Fit

Is the lifestyle of today’s children alarming? Replies gives the pilot project of the Slovak Foundation of Silvia Gašparovičová – Education and Health for Everybody called "Go Fit".

Inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, poor physical fitness and up to thirteen percent of overweight. Also these are the results of the screening phase of the preventive-education project Go Fit, which is realized by the Slovak Foundation of Silvia Gašparovičová – Education and Health for Everybody in two primary schools in Bratislava and two in Hlohovec. Not very positive statistics show the urgent need for education and prevention of the so-called civilization diseases, of which assumptions are developed at an early age.

The purpose of the screening phase of the project Go Fit, which took place in autumn 2010, has been identifying and detecting hidden risks of lifestyle-related diseases through information on the health parameters, physical fitness, eating habits and physical activity of children aged six to fifteen years. In addition to measuring health parameters which took place in school premises, the children participated in the questionnaire survey which involved their parents. This questionnaire was also designed for the teachers who were like children involved in measuring health parameters. Overall, the screening phase got a very favorable response as evidenced by the fact that there participated nearly 80% of children, 50% of parents and 90% of teachers.

"We are extremely pleased by the proactive approach of schools, thanks to which in previous phases of the project we could involve such a large number of children, parents and teachers. Education on healthy lifestyle is an important mission for us all. Its aim is a better basis for the future of our children, and therefore deserves particularly exceptional attention," said the wife of the President of the Slovak Republic Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová. The measurements observed also Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová at the primary school in Bratislava – Lamač. "When I asked the children what they are doing for healthy eating, a boy boasted that he likes spinach from his grandmother, because it is better than in school and even promised the recipe," said Mrs. Gašparovičová.

Throughout the school year 2010/2011 as a part of the project runs a regular supply of apples for pupils and teachers of participating schools. The main objective of the project Go Fit is to raise awareness about healthy lifestyle, encourage to healthy eating and regular physical activity not only of children but also their parents. Many of the results that the research has produced, specifically refer to the fact that our young generation has improper eating habits, which combined with lack of physical activity constitute a prerequisite for the occurrence of the so-called lifestyle-related diseases in the older age. According to the survey 13% of children have overweight and even 5% obesity, while the numbers are rising with age. Found prevalence of overweight among children is alarming and showed that from overweight suffer more boys than girls. "In the past, overweight and obesity was a greater problem for women. In recent years, however, overweight of men is increasing, and that from a young age, as evidenced by the results of the survey. Based on the experience of Health Counseling Office I can say that fewer men accept advice on healthy eating, which is probably reflected in the behavior of boys," says MUDr. Alžbeta Béderová, CSc. From the Health Counseling Office of the Regional Public Health Authority of the City of Bratislava, and also adds: "Younger children are more strongly regulated in eating by parents and are in a higher rate attending school canteen, which provides complete and balanced diet. Older children tend to model the eating by themselves, which often means that food does not always correspond to the required criteria. That’s why the prevalence of children overweight increases with age."

Although younger ones taste especially farinaceous food, older children prefer more meat, under which is particularly popular poultry (42%). Vegetables are not among the favorite foods of children in any age – the recommended daily dose is consumed only by 22% of children. Slightly better is the consumption of fruits, but even there is no sufficient daily consumption. More than vegetables and fruits address children sweets, salty snacks like potato chips or nuts, sweetened beverages and "fast food". Also at least once a week gets 15% of school children in the age up to ten years and 24% of pupils from ten to fifteen years.

The overall situation in the children’s lifestyle is so critical that neither physical activity does compensate the unbalanced eating. "Physical fitness of children is at a very poor level, which logically comes from their current lifestyle. Lack of physical activity is often the result of not completely positive parental model in which absences a significant example of an active motion mode. Conversely, sports clubs which children attend do not guarantee quality and healthy physical condition, unless they are tailored to the age and abilities of the child. If we want to successfully prevent the threat of lifestyle-related diseases, attention must be paid to prevention and education of our smallest ones," says MUDr. Pavel Malovič, PhD., MPH, Primary of the Clinic of Sports Medicine in the University Hospital in Bratislava.

Extraordinary is the influence of parental example on lifestyle and habits of the child in his future; it is the current way of eating, as well as leisure activities and relationship to sports. Therefore, part of the normal family mode should be an common eating, diet control and shared physical activity.

"Results of the screening phase of the project Go Fit only confirmed our belief that it is necessary to pay increased attention to children and their habits in the overall lifestyle. We are very pleased that we have a good opportunity to promote the idea of primary prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, and so show our smallest ones that it is beneficiary to live healthily," concluded Ing. Beáta Kujanová, Communications Manager of the sanofi-aventis and Zentiva, lead partner of the Go Fit.

Importance of the impact of teachers on students is often underestimated and gets not enough attention. Part of the Go Fit project screening were therefore children and their parents as well as teachers. The results showed that the often highly stressful environment affects the health of teachers. Almost a quarter of them have high blood pressure and even more than 50% have elevated cholesterol and sugar. From overweight and obesity suffer teachers in the capital city, as well as in the smaller county town.

As one of the main objectives of the project is to promote physical activities for children and their parents, the motivational phase will be launched in the last weekend in March by family school competitions. Within four consecutive weekends families will be able to measure their strength in a few simple competitions. The project will culminate in May on the occasion of the World Day "Move to Health", during which participating schools will compete with each other and the winning one gets financial contribution for the reconstruction of sports facilities.