Forget international terrorism. There’s a huge time bomb ticking right under our noses, the effect of which will be far more devastating than any weapon of mass destruction. The fitness of our children is plummeting faster than ever, with long-term damage being wreaked on the health of the next generation of adults – this crisis is also going to place an immense strain on the entire healthcare system, as it struggles to cope with the onslaught of obesity- related degenerative disease conditions. Ultra Fit magazine 2003/07/14 youth

66% of children too unfit for sport. Accent on achievement results in physical deterioration Dr JAP Nel, Head of The School for Development of Children and Kinetic Science in Cape Town, makes the above statement after comprehensive research about the fitness of children South African children evaluated 66.5% of the children’s fitness varies between average and poor. Article 1 : Rapport youth

Illness of bad eating habits and sitting too much Twenty years ago it was unheard of for children to get Type 2 Diabetes. These days 30 to 50% of all new diabetes cases in the United States are children younger than 19 years. Article 5 : Rapport youth

The study concluded that the onset of puberty marks a sharp division between those who are very active and those who become very sedentary. R. Telema et al. Physical ASctivity in Childhood and Adolescence as Predictor of Physical Activity in Young Adulthood”. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 1997: 13 (4). youth

Puberty, a time when young people are developing values and habits that can last a lifetime is also a period during which many young people are increasingly choosing a sedentary lifestyle over an active one. But it is equally clear that parents play a decisive role in modeling healthy – or unhealthy - lifestyle behaviours for their children far in advance of these critical adolescent years. Indeed, eating habits are formed early in life, and both eating and activity patterns mirror family of origin patterns. What is the best way to convince young people of the health benefits of regular exercise? First convince their parents, according to guidelines published by the CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. youth

To emphasise the overwhelming benefits of exercise we can look at the following research articles : youth

Coronary heart disease Depression Hypertension Obesity Osteoporosis Stroke Diabetes (Type I) Diabetes (Type II) Breast, cervical, ovarian cancer Back Pain Colon Cancer Congestive heart failure Rheumatoid Arthritis Helps prevent Helps treat RECOMMENDED AGES (yrs) (Booth and Tseng. Med Sci Sports Ex, 1995) Benefits of exercise

Atherosclerosis (boys) This study included some subjects, aged 15 to 34, who died of external causes. The autopsies revealed that fat streaks and fibrous plaques had begun to appear in this age group. The authors concluded that primary prevention of atherosclerosis must, therefore, start in childhood. J P Strong et al. Prevalence and Extent of Atherosclerosis in Adolescents and Young Adults, Implications for prevention from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study. JAMA 1999, Vol. 281, N8. youth

Bone density Years Peak bone mass GrowthLoss of bone Figure 1 : Change in bone density over the life span Source : James S. Skinner, A physiologist’s Perspective. Osteoporosis and Exercise: Guidelines for Exercise Professionals (1998) Osteoporosis (girls)

Use sport to develop a child and build his or her self-esteem, not for status. Expert reacts to child’s suicide Families and schools are busy neglecting their responsibility to help young people develop into thinking adults in the pursuit of sporting achievements. Article 2 : Beeld youth

Immediate benefits -Stronger bone formation -Reduced anxiety/stress -Improved self-esteem -Improved concentration -Academic performance -Social skills youth

Long-term benefits -Obesity -Coronary heart disease -Diabetes -Osteoporosis -Stroke -Hypertension -Depression youth

What is the role of the parents? Mental (Intellectual) Physical (Diet) Psychological (Emotional) youth

No reason to buy expensive supplements and vitamins as long as the child follows a healthy and balanced diet. Vitamins no help against infection, says study “ This certainly raises questions regarding the current hype surrounding health, specifically with reference to the myriad of vitamin and mineral supplements that are being touted on the market.” Article 1 : Pretoria News youth