This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Active Schools strategy comes to life
06/01/2004
A national network of Active School
co-ordinators is to develop new ways of getting children to
take part in regular physical activity, including sport,
play and walking to school.
More than 600 staff will be recruited
in a government drive to encourage every school pupil to be
more active. The cost will be met from the £24 million set
aside in the 2002 Scottish budget to develop an Active
Schools strategy.
First Minister Jack McConnell today
called for the support of Scotland's parents as he outlined
new measures to tackle obesity in children through exercise
and healthy eating.
He also announced that new nutritional
guidelines will be developed and implemented for food
served in pre-school education centres.
The moves are the next phase in the
Scottish government's healthy living campaign launched by
the First Minister in January 2003. They come after a
recent report showed that one in three 12 year olds are
overweight.
During a visit to the Rainbow Family
Centre in Port Glasgow, Mr McConnell said:
"We need to act now or we face obesity
problems on a par with the United States. We have achieved
much in a year, but recent horrifying statistics show we
still have much more to do.
"I accept government's responsibility
to lead on this issue, but all parents have a
responsibility to make sure that their children eat well
and stay active, the best - and easiest - ways any
individual can improve their health.
"By taking small steps such as playing
with their kids or walking them to school, parents can make
big and lasting changes to the immediate health of their
children, and the future health of our nation.
"But they cannot change a country's
bad habits on their own and that is why the recruitment of
the activity co-ordinators is so important. Their role will
be to work in schools to increase the opportunities for
physical activity, recruit pupils who will support and
coach their fellow students and help to change Scotland's
couch-potato culture for good.
"The health of our nation depends on
us all taking individual responsibility for ourselves - and
each other. I want everyone in Scotland to encourage
children to get off the couch and get moving."
The First Minister explained the new
guidelines for food in pre-school education centres. He
said:
"By the end of the year every primary
school should have new standards for school food in place.
Today I am announcing that we will have similar guidelines
for pre-school education centres, because if we are to
teach our children good eating habits that will stay with
them for the rest of their life, we must start early."
Emphasising the need to sustain a
lengthy campaign against obesity and unhealthy living. He
said:
"I have laid out the next steps in our
drive to improve the nation's health. This is a long-term
crusade to change a nation's habits, to be developed over
the next decade.
"It will take years to deliver lasting
change, but I am determined to build on the start we have
made and see it through. I will do what I have to do to
make Scotland a healthy, happier and more prosperous
nation."
Key health improvements initiated by
the Executive so far include:
nutritional standards for
school meals, including set levels for fat, salt
and sugar in processed food, backed by a detailed
monitoring and inspection programme
free fruit for all primary 1
and 2 children were introduced
agreement with Coca-Cola to
remove branded vending machines for all Scottish
schools and provide water and healthy choices
developing Safer Routes to
school, and improving the opportunities for
children to walk and to cycle
expanding and developing new
breakfast services for children
500 community food
initiatives now operating
Scottish Healthy Choices
Awards Scheme has now presented over 300 awards,
driving up standards in catering
awareness of healthy eating
campaign, which includes the healthy living advice
line, kept high through the year
The Active Schools Staff network is
funded by the Executive from the £24 million set aside in
the 2002 Scottish budget to develop an Active Schools
strategy. It will be developed by sportsscotland.
The funding will support sport in
school, but research by the Physical Activity Taskforce
suggests that children also need to be encouraged to take
part in all kinds of physical activity, not just sport.
The Clinical Outcomes Indicator group
reported in December that one in three of Scots 12 year
olds are overweight, with one in ten severely obese. And
one in five toddlers are overweight before their fourth
birthday.