Expert Harps On Regular Exercise

Professor Michael
Balogun, has  called on governments at all levels to enforce policies that would mandate regular exercises for children in schools, to reduce cardiovascular diseases and obesity.
He made the call in an interview with  newsmen during  the 20th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Hypertension Society in Lagos.
Balogun, a Consultant Cardiologist in the Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, said that the plea had become necessary as many children do not have enough opportunities to exercise regularly.
“If there is no government policy that mandates every school to guarantee a certain number of minutes of exercise per child, per day, they won’t do it.
“So, the government can say that everyday, during school hours, there must be 30 minutes or one hour of exercise.
“This may be on paper, but it is not enforced as a policy.
“It needs to be enforced to help to check the health of the younger generation. Schools should also have spaces for pupils and students to play around,’’ he said.
Balogun said that exercise and physical education (PE) was a mandatory practise in times past.
“When we were young, there was a policy on exercise and physical education. It was enforced and it was mandatory that we exercise in school everyday,’’ the cardiologist said.
He said that the burden of cardiovascular diseases and obesity was becoming so heavy and needed to be solved via a collaborative partnership.
“The burden of cardiovascular diseases and obesity is on the increase. It affects the old and the young. But, it is quite worrisome, when it affects the younger population.
“ There may not be any exact statistics or data, but the prevalence is going up from 20 to 40 per cent, depending on various population groups and the environments where the studies were conducted.
“Everybody should come on board to address this issue.
“ It will involve partnerships with the government, parents, teachers, media, medical and health personnel such as doctors, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, physical and health educationists and others,’’ he said.
Balogun appealed to parents to keep their children occupied and get them moving, instead of always having them sitting and watching television.