Counseling Education

The Sporting Advantage in 2013

These days, our mornings frequently start with a new raft of statistics on the telly or radio about the upward trend of obesity in the UK. Recent Government figures show that a jaw-dropping 61.3% of adults and 30% of children are overweight or obese. The health consequences of this exponential hike are well-documented – carrying more weight is associated with a greater risk of heart disease, many cancers and Type 2 diabetes, diseases that are likely to pose a real problem to our kids’ generation once they hit our age.

As parents, our focus on our own health is often sharpened by the very existence of our kids – not only do we want to stay healthy so we can be there for them as long as possible, but we also keenly feel we have to set a good example in terms of eating healthily and staying active. Where in the past a diet of snatched biscuits en route to work, hearty meals out and lashings of wine, coupled with an exercise routine of occasional retail therapy sessions and elbow bends at the bar, seemed part and parcel of non-parental life.

We know people get a buzz from exercise – the endorphin effect is key for those who promote exercise, whether for altruistic or marketing reasons – and, for young people who are prey to a dizzying array of new emotions and self-doubt, maintaining a healthy mind through staying active is even more important. Because this is the time that routines and priorities can be set that will have a profound and lasting effect on their personality, their outlook and their health for the rest of their life.

Bad habits are hard to break – but now is the prime time for young people to form good routines that will carry them to a happier and healthier adulthood and endow them with a sense of self-worth that will stand them in good stead for the rigours of adulthood.

A study by Manchester Metropolitan University showed that teens who undertake exercise are less likely to experience a dramatic drop in self-confidence that’s common to teens, especially girls, during the 11-16 period.

Taking part in team sports teaches young people how to pull together for the greater good, how to take calculated risks, and how to deal with it when things do not go their way. It also helps them build lasting friendships with a strong and meaningful foundation, where the worth of each participant is recognised and verbalised.

The good news is: we don’t have to do it all ourselves. While staying healthy and being active (and you can find plenty of ideas on how to do this in on the Government’s Change 4 Life site) sets a wonderful example to our young people and one that can’t be underestimated, it’s reassuring to know that most if not all schools now recognise the need for enjoyable activity to be enshrined within the curriculum. And the key here is ‘enjoyable’… institutions that have proved their mettle as successful sports schools institutions provide sport at all levels, so children with less ability but just as much enthusiasm are catered for and nurtured throughout their academic life. When you’re choosing a school, think about selecting one in which children’s individual needs are taken into account, whether they’re a Jessica Ennis or more of an Eddie the Eagle. This is even more important if you weren’t keen on ‘games’ yourself and so lack the ‘go get ‘em’ attitude of the sportier parent – though the chances are that you still got out and about to play, and more so than many of today’s kids do. Which takes us full circle to the way today’s lifestyle is driving up those ever-increasing obesity figures… and the chance that our children’s enthusiasm for sport will motivate us, too, forming a self-perpetuating circle of better health, a more positive outlook, and a more balanced lifestyle altogether.

Image of girl throwing javelin from Microsoft Office