DOHA: More Independent school students are now aware of the benefits of sleep, physical activity and a healthy diet thanks to an ongoing national campaign — We are Healthy Kids — which is now in its third year, the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) said yesterday.
According to data released by the SCH, there was an increase of 51 percent in the children’s knowledge of the food groups and a 40 percent increase in the number of students who are aware of the benefits of exercise and physical activity.
The number of students who recognised the benefits of sleep increased by 50 percent and more students — with an increase of 30 percent — have become aware that a healthy lifestyle consists of several elements , including a healthy diet and exercise, avoid smoking and sleeping well.
The SCH honoured participants of the programme at a special ceremony on Thursday at the Four Seasons Hotel. During 2012-2013 academic year, 96 schools for boys and girls participated in the programme.
Key partners in the implementation of the program included the Supreme Education Council, Primary Health Care Corporation, the main sponsor Maersk Oil Qatar under its ‘Action of Diabetes (AoD)’ programme and the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
Dr Al Anoud Mohammed Al Thani, manager, Health Promotion and Non Communicable Diseases at SCH’s Public Health Department said the goal of the campaign was to bring about a positive change in the lives of children and replace bad habits with healthy ones.
She pointed out that the results of a survey on the program showed a marked improvement in all indicators. It is estimated that 16.7 per cent of the adult Qatari population between the ages of 20 to 79 years old have diabetes in Qatar.
The organisers are preparing to launch the fourth edition of “We are Healthy Kids” program in 2014, including more schools.
The SCH launched the ‘’We Are Healthy Kids’’ program in the academic year 2010-2011 with grade five students in a number of independent primary schools in Qatar. It was expanded to all independent primary schools in 2012-2013 with participation of approximately 700 participants. The course spans eight weeks and each week has a specific ‘healthy’ theme.
In his opening address Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of Public Health Department announced that the programme will now be expanded to include preparatory schools (grade 8) beginning with 10 schools in the pilot stage during the academic year 2013-2014.
The Peninsula
