A brief presentation on health in Australia, focusing on primary school children's health.
All animated and notes should be down in the slide notes section.
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Assignment 2-Health, Sport, Physical Activity in Australia
1. WELCOME
PARENTS AND GAURDIANS
• Major health concerns impacting Australian youth
• How sport/physical activity can help achieve better health
• Roles schools play in improving the health status of
Australian youth
HEALTH, SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
2. NATIONAL HEALTH PRIORITY AREAS
(NHPAs)
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Mental health
Diabetes
Asthma
Obesity
Dementia
Musculoskeletal conditions
Injury prevention and control
3. OBESITY AND ITS HORRORS
Those that are overweight or obese have a higher risk of:
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes type 2
Asthma
Some cancers
Over 1 in 5 children aged 5-14 years old were overweight in 2007/2008.
Table 1: Campbell,
Crawford & Salmon, 2006
4. RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY
Live in a regional, rural or remote area
Low socioeconomic status
Indigenous population
Females have a higher rate than males
SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR
Less likely to participate in physical activity
More likely to drink energy drinks
Less likely to eat fruit
Figure 1:Chiang, O’Dea & Peralta, 2014
Campbell, Crawford & Salmon, 2006
5. RECOMMENED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Average 60 minutes of physical activity per day (7 hours a
week)
Moderate to vigorous intensity
Physical activity should be aerobic
Can be accumulative throughout the week
Less than 2 hours of sedentary time
ONLY 60% of 5-14 year olds participate in sport
Sport is good and fun way to get active, especially for children
Sport helps develop teamwork and social interactions
Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010
6. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO:
Improve mental state
Increase bone density
Improve total body fat and BMI
Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
Increase metabolic rate
Decreases risk of diabetes type 2
AND IT CAN BE FUN!!
Don’t forget to drink lots of water!
Hansen & Morgan, 2008
Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010
7. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Enhanced learning and concentration
Physical benefits
Social benefits
In Hansen & Morgan’s study on teachers perception of
the benefits of physical education in the classroom they
had 3 areas which teachers believed were benefited by.
These were:
Hansen & Morgan, 2008
8. ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN IMPROVING
YOUTH HEALTH
Schools have a major influence on children’s life
Access to information about healthy living
Providing children with the information and knowledge to
make healthy choices, children will be able to make their
own informed decisions about their health.
To achieve the benefits for children our approach in
relation to nutrition, physical activity and education at
school need to be positive and reinforced.
9. SCHOOL ROLES IN THE HEALTH OF
AUSTRALIAN YOUTH
Following the guidelines for the school canteen
Encourage meant of healthy eating and what are
“sometimes food”
Always updating and working with programs and being
advised by accredited nutrition companies
Advertise WHAT is healthy eating and the benefits
Make sure all children participate in physical activity at
school in a constructive, inclusive and encouraging way
Support programs such as Sporting school Initiative
Sporting School Initiative Website- https://www.sportingschools.gov.au/
Nutrition Australia: Promoting health in schools-
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/vic/schools-programs
10. HEALTH AND AUSTRALIAN YOUTH
Parents and schools are two major influences in a child’s life
Obesity is a rapidly growing issue in Australia
Obesity can lead to other major health risks
Physical activity and nutrition can improve weight issues as well as other
health issues
Physical activity can enhance academic learning and concentration in
children
60 minutes of physical activity a day is recommended
And remember…
Make being healthy fun!
Intro/title page: Welcome parents and guardians, thank you for making it today. I’m here to talk about health, sport and physical activity in Australia in regards to our youth. In particular primary school children. My name is Grace Hanrahan and I will be talking about major health issues that impact our health, how we can improve our health through physical activity and sport and the role schools play in improving the health of Australia’s youth.
Slide 2: The Australian Government has identified pressing health issues that affect us all and need to be addressed. These are called the National Health Priority Areas, also known as NHPAs. These are Cancer, cardiovascular diseases, mental health, diabetes, obesity, asthma, injury prevention, dementia and musculoskeletal conditions. These areas have been identified by their impact on quality of life, prevalence and cost to society (NSW HSC Online). I will be covering one of the national health priority areas in a bit more detail and this will be obesity. I have selected this area because it is the one I believe we have the most control over and can impact all the other areas mentioned to some degree. The one we can as a community and society can improve the most just by making better choices and so in turn also reduce the risk of being affected by the health priority areas.
Slide 3: Over 1 in 5 children or 23% of children aged 5-14 were overweight in 2007/2008 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website). If a person is overweight or obese they have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, asthma and some cancers (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website). Overweight children are often bullied for this, which can affect their mental wellbeing as well. Children that are overweight are more likely to be overweight through adolescence and adulthood.
Slide 4: Being overweight and obese is mainly influenced by a person’s diet and physical activity. Obesity tends to have higher rates in certain social, cultural, economic and/or other environmental influences. People that come from a regional or remote area, low socio-economic status and indigenous background have a higher risk as well as females of being overweight (Chiang, O’Dea & Peralta, 2014). The more active you are and the healthier you eat, the less likely you are to be overweight. Sedentary behaviour can have a big impact on a child’s health. In a study done in Melbourne they found that children that watched television for two or more hours a day are more likely to energy drinks and less likely to participate in physical activity and eat fruit. These factors all increase the risk of being overweight (Campbell, Crawford & Salmon, 2006).
Slide 5: Sport and physical activity have multiple benefits for people. Not only can sport be fun but it has physical and mental benefits as well. The department of health of found that only 60% of children aged 5-14 years participate in sport regularly. This means 40% of children aren’t getting the all health benefits that’s physical activity provides. It’s recommended that children of 5 to 12 years of age, should participate in an average of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous/intensive physical activity a day. The more active they are increases the health benefits (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).
Slide 6: The potential physical and mental effects that physical activity can have on the body is significant. With the recommended 60-90 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity it can have the potential to:
Improve a child’s mental state, by improving depression ratings and academic performance (Hansen & Morgan, 2008).
Increase bone density, when doing weight bearing activity or skipping, jumping and climbing.
Has shown significant improvements in measures of total fat and BMI
Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol; and
Increases metabolic activity
Decreases risk of developing diabetes type 2 (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).
These health benefits are substantial. They all help children to lead a happier and healthier lifestyle. Don’t forget that with more activity means the need for increased water intake.
Slide 7: Physical activity in primary schools can vary depending on the school and the teacher. It is important that teachers recognise the importance of physical activity and education. A study conducted by Hansen and Morgan in 2008 looked at teacher perceptions on physical activity. All the teachers believed that physical education and activity was very beneficial to students. Teachers noticed that the children improved socially with teamwork and life skills. Student’s concentration improved and performed better academically. Two teachers tested out this theory in the study and had one class doing physical activity at school and the other didn’t. After a time they gave the class the same test. When marked they found the class that did physical activity did better than the one that didn’t. Teachers in the study also stated that they felt responsibility in the increasing obesity rate because they believed children most likely spent most of the time outside of school doing sedentary activities (Hansen & Morgan, 2008). Not only is physical activity important at school but it needs to be reinforced and encourage in the child’s home life.
Slide 8: Schools have an important role in improving the health of Australian youth. Children spend a lot of time at school and school becomes a major influence in their childhood. There should always be access to information about leading a healthy lifestyle and its benefits. It should also be taught and reinforced in classrooms, not only at home. By providing children with the information and knowledge to make healthy choices, children will be able to make their own informed decisions about their health. To achieve the benefits and outcomes best for our children our approach in relation to nutrition, physical activity and education at school and home need to be positive, reinforced and complimentary to each other. Our belief, attitude and confidence are key when teaching or imparting knowledge to our children if we wish them to be positively impacted within their learning and home environments.
Slide 9: Schools have a duty of care to the students they have under their jurisdiction at school. Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices is important. There should also be an opportunity for all students to be able to participate in physical activity and sport. There are some sports programs that are specifically designed around primary school children and the availability for all children to have the opportunity to participate and learn a sport, no matter the demographic of the child. Schools should be continuously bringing up, creating awareness and supporting programs and initiatives of healthy eating and exercising. School canteens have got guidelines on what food they can sell and are restricted with the amount of unhealthy foods or “sometime foods”. Schools are also advised by the government and people like the Nutrition Australia that have programs for schools on healthy lifestyle changes. Or the Australian Health Promoting Schools Association. Sporting School Initiative is one program that is run nationally in primary schools. It gives access to sport based activities to primary school children before, during and after school. This is the link to the website to find out more and see what is available around your child’s school. **Points to link**. The role of the school and teacher cannot be underestimated for these programs to be successful. They should be committed to the outcomes they can achieve.
Slide 10: We as schools, teachers and parents need to be taking shared responsibility in the children’s lives. We are the major influences they have and should be leading by example and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Obesity in our country is increasing and we can influence and hopefully reverse this trend if we encourage children while in primary school and teach them the importance of physical activity and nutrition. Physical activity for children should be fun to encourage willing participation and implemented in all aspects of their lives. By walking to and from school, to the shops as well if possible. Go to the park to run around and play, participating in a sport- which also improves social development for children. 60 minutes a day of physical activity could be the difference in the long term for the happiness of the children. Let’s hope together we can reverse the obesity trend and lower the increasing rate of type 2 diabetes with it! Thank you for coming to this presentation on health and Australian youth. I hope you picked up something from the presentation and willing continue encouraging your children to make healthy choices. For anyone wanting more information I encourage you to go to either the Australian Government-Department of health website, the World Health Organisation website or go and see your local GP.
