STEVENSON WELCOMES SCHOOLS PROPOSAL TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson today welcomed the news that Scottish schools will be expected to offer young people a minimum of two hours of quality physical education every week under new teaching and learning guidelines to be published this week

The commitment to PE is prominent in the draft Health and Wellbeing outcomes published as part of the new teaching and learning guidance under Curriculum for Excellence and is seen as a tool to tackle childhood obesity.

Commenting on the announcement Mr Stevenson said:

"Making PE compulsory in our schools for a minimum of two hours a week will give children and young people an important foundation for participation in experiences in physical activities and sport in preparation for a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

“Physical activity and sport will take place, in addition to planned PE sessions, at break times and lunchtimes and beyond the school day which will act as an important tool in fighting against childhood obesity.

"Taken together, the experiences and outcomes in physical education, physical activity and sport are intended to establish the pattern of daily physical activity which, research has shown, is most likely to lead to an active and healthy adult life.

“By using our schools as a mechanism to introduce new healthier habits we want to create a society that is no longer seen as the sick nation of Europe”