Schools 'should offer yoga to teens'

November 05 2009

A childhood obesity expert has urged schools to diversify their physical education programme to include activities that do not involve competitive sport.

The call comes from Tam Fry, chair of the Child Growth Foundation and National Obesity Forum, who suggested those who do not like team sports could be offered other options - such as running or yoga.

"The physical education in schools nowadays has got to be not only the competitive sport element, but also the exercise which people can do individually," he noted.

His comments follow the release of new data obtained by the Liberal Democrats, which revealed 70 per cent of 19-year-olds fail to take part in regular exercise.

The figures also indicated the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds staying active has been steadily declining over the last four years.

Of those still at school, just 20 per cent reach the government's recommended target of three hours of exercise a week.

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