Professor Reginald Ocansey (fourth from right) with participants after the launch
The Ghana 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity Levels of Children and the Youth,
was on Wednesday launched by the Physical Education and Sports Studies Department of the University of Ghana (UG).
The report card is a research work conducted by the UG and Active Healthy Kids Ghana Alliance (AHKAh).
It revealed that 70 per cent of Ghanaian children and youth are failing physical activity grades, indicating that children in Ghana are not moving enough to maintain healthy growth and development.
Launching the Report Card, Prof. Reginald Ocansey, leader of AHKGhA and Head of the Physical Education and Sports Studies Department of UG said the situation was because kids are getting less active.
The physical activity grades assignment was determined based on the best available data, research and key issue areas from the past two years.
The report labeled modern lifestyles – increase in screen time, growing urbanisation of communities and the rise in automation of previously manual task – as contributing factors to a pervasive public health that must be recognised as a national priority.
Mr Ocansey urged Ghanaians to see it as a collective responsibility to change the pattern because inactive children are at risk for adverse physical, mental and cognitive health problems. .
Cynthia Wise, Deputy P.E Coordinator of the Ghana Education Service (GES) welcomed the Ghana 2018 Report Card, saying that it will go a long way to guide the GES in terms of the direction of their P.E policies and also help identify the shortfalls and the areas that needed improvement.
She described the report as an eye-opener that is set to improve the approach towards physical activity of children.
Deputy Chief Sports Development Officer at the National Sports Authority (NSA) Vivian Dougblor said the report had the potential to change the face of physical activity among the youth.
She said the NSA will find a way to incorporate the report into the National Sports Policy.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
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