Australian health experts have said a greater
diversity of exercise routines would help girls, who continue to be less active
than boys.
However, New Zealand experts have largely
dismissed the idea.
The New South Wales Schools Physical Activity
and Nutrition Survey report, released this week, surveyed more than 8000
primary and secondary students and found 22.8 per cent were overweight or
obese.
Fifty-two per cent of boys reached the
recommended level of physical activity, compared with 41 per cent of girls.
The report cited studies that show girls
enjoy sports and physical education less than boys.
Dr Louise Hardy, senior research fellow at
the University of
Sydney's centre for
physical activity, told the Daily Telegraph activities like Zumba or pilates
could lift young girls' interest in fitness.
But Grant Schofield, the director of AUT's
Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, said such recommendations
completely missed the point.
Overseas research showed children now spent
about four times more time with their parents as in the mid-1970s.
"Almost all of that time sitting in
cars. Getting taken to and from organised activities, where in the past kids
have just run around neighbourhoods - free-range kids.
"And that's really what's going to keep
obesity away for boys and girls - movement that's part of everyday life all the
time."
Dr Katie Fitzpatrick, research fellow at Auckland University
and former head of health at Tangaroa College, said her research into Year 12 and 13 girls
in South Auckland showed they were active in a
wide range of exercise.
"And it's a totally normalised cultural
activity for boys to dance - but there's still a presumption in some parts of
society that it's not tough.
"I think we can get stuck with splitting
it up around gender.
"When if you did a social class-split,
or an ethnicity-split, or a tall person/short person-split, then you'd get a
different picture."
Gordon Paterson, chief executive of Physical
Education New Zealand, said it was important
for phys ed classes to include a wide range of actions and motions so children
could choose what appealed to them "and run with it".
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