GET ON BOARDS TO BEAT OBESITY

December 31, 2005

30 December 2005

YOUNGSTERS are being offered PE classes in skateboarding in a bid to

battle childhood obesity.

Dundee City Council are believed to be the first in Scotland to

offer sports classes at a skatepark.

Both skateboarding and in-line skating are now on offer to pupils.

Marshall, director of Dundee's Factory Skatepark, said: " We

have linked up with the council to offer all schools in Dundee the

chance to use the facilities here as part of their PE programme,

which I think is a first for a local authority in the UK.

" It is commendable that the city council are taking a pro-active

approach to sport and are looking outwith the traditional sports to

get young people active. "

He added: " When we met the education department, they said that the

traditional six sports like football and hockey are not working.

" This is very forward thinking for the council to offer boarding for

PE lessons and they are introducing children to something new that

can form part of a healthy active lifestyle. "

Skateboarding has been recognised as a valid sporting activity in

the wake of the Executive's plans to tackle Scotland's childhood

obesity problem.

Figures show pupils aged between nine and 14 spend no more than five

per cent of their compulsory class time in PE. That compares poorly

with the average of 8.5 per cent across 30 developed countries.

A programme to bring pupils up to an average of at least two hours

physical education each week has been introduced by the Executive.

An extra £20million has been committed to sports development for the

period between 2004 to 2007. And about 400 extra PE teachers are

being trained.

The Executive are hoping the introduction of martial arts, dance and

aerobics will broaden the appeal of sports classes

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