Tufton wants more students to engage in physical activities

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton wants more of the nation's children to engage in physical activities to help boost their capacity to develop healthy lifestyle habits.

"If you like running, run around the house; if you like walking, go out and walk for half an hour. If you like swimming and you can, do a little swimming; and if you like hiking, go and hike," Tufton said, in highlighting the various ways students could get the physical activities they are being encouraged to get involved in.

Tufton, who was speaking during last Friday's National School Moves Day event at Manchester High School in Mandeville, pointed out that many young people have become so enticed by technology devices, such as smartphones, that rather than engaging in physically interacting with friends and colleagues, they spend most of their time on the various gadgets. In addition to the lack of exercise, Tufton said many youngsters have also fallen prey to attractively packaged ultra-processed foods that are advertised through media outlets they regularly access. In instances, they have enticed them to spend more time snacking, rather than engaging in activities consistent with healthier lifestyles.

Tufton noted that the combination of inactivity and nutritional choices are resulting in too many young people suffering from lifestyle diseases, citing diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity among the most common.

"All of these things are going to affect them in years to come. So, while they may not feel it now, as their parents, guardians, teachers, and administrators, we need to do more to encourage children to go outside, leave the smartphones and get off the Internet to avoid some of the greasy, salty, sugary, fatty ultra-processed snacks... and get back to the basic [healthy] lifestyle," urged Tufton.

Marsha Smith, minister of state in the Ministry of Education and Youth, and Jasford Gabriel, the principal at Manchester High School, also encouraged the students to embrace and recognise the importance of National School Moves Day, noting that engaging in physical activity is one of the best ways to safeguard themselves against lifestyle diseases.

"I want you to see physical activity as an important medicine to keep your bodies, minds and spirits healthy," said Smith.

"There is a close correlation between physical fitness and mental alertness; this means you [will] do better in your schoolwork when you are physically fit," said Gabriel.