In a recent study conducted by a youth sports organization, it was said that children in India are displaying alarmingly poor fitness levels post the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nationwide study conducted by Sportz Village has covered children in the age groups of 6 to 16 years from 120 schools across 20 cities and towns, where they were assessed on various parameters in both private and public schools across India.
The parameters assessed were body mass index (BMI), aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, core strength, flexibility, upper body strength, and lower body strength.
In the survey a total of 20,000 children were assessed across the country, and the findings stated that 2 in 5 children do not have a healthy BMI, 2 in 3 children do not have adequate upper body strength, 3 in 5 children do not have adequate lower body strength, 2 in 5 children do not have the desired abdominal strength, and 1 in 4 children do not possess the desired flexibility.
The main reason behind the sharp decline in health and fitness is considered to be the COVID-19 pandemic.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of the daily lives of children, including physical activity levels, and has affected the health and well-being of many individuals globally.
During the pandemic, schools were closed for extended periods, which led to reduced opportunities for physical activity and outdoor play.
The decline in children’s health and fitness may have been caused by mobility restrictions and social distancing laws that prevented children from participating in organized sports or physical activities away from their homes.
The survey compared the performance of 3000 children before and after COVID-19 to study the impact of school closures on children’s health, where it was found that performance in all parameters except flexibility had gone down.
The lack of health and fitness among such a large number of children yet again proves that physical activities in schools are of great importance and are needed for
the overall development of children.
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Speaking on the findings CEO and Managing Director Saumil Majmudar, Sportz Village, said, “Last year, schools resumed in-person classes. Then, the long-term effect of the pandemic on the physical fitness of Indian children was still unclear. The findings prove that the school closures, due to the pandemic, had an adverse effect.”
The CEO suggested that schools need to view sports as an integral part of education and should provide opportunities to engage in structured physical activities to ensure that every child is engaged to bridge the gap.
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