Dubai: Due to a lack of nearby recreational facilities and demanding work schedules, parents are finding it challenging to enrol their children in extra-curricular activities outside school.
As reported in Gulf News on Monday a study which was part of a Unicef programme, showed that out of 5,000 pupils surveyed in the UAE, 68 per cent did little to no exercise a day. As a result of the findings, the programme encouraged families across the UAE to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle.
Dalia Haroun, Public Health Nutrition Consultant at Unicef, added that the programme not only tackles the age group most at risk, but an age group that is old enough to be aware.
Dr Osama K Alalla, Health Programmes Specialist at the Ministry of Education, said that unfortunately many parents discouraged their children from taking part in physical activities for fear of it affecting their academic performance.
“It’s interesting because studies show that students who play sports excel in their studies,” said Dr Alalla, “because the increase in serotonin, dopamine and endorphin from physical activities helps decrease stress.”
Seher Sayed, a working Indian mother of two, told Gulf News that due to the nature of her job, it is difficult for her to provide an active lifestyle by enrolling her children in extra-curricular activities as they usually start during her work hours. Additionally, she does not feel comfortable sending her children to facilities far from home on public transport due to their young age.
Oral Smith, a British working father, is concerned that his children’s health will suffer due to a lack of exercise in their daily routine.
The father of two competitive swimmers, who live in the UK but come to visit, complained that many of the facilities are for adults.
‘Discouraged’
“My children were part of a gym facility for a short period of time but when they found out that my kids were not above 16 years old, they prevented them from using the facility again,” said Smith. “This has not only discouraged them to continue training, but has also made me rethink their move here to Dubai.”
Mariam Iskander, an Egyptian mother of three, said many of the facilities available for children were playing areas, none of which had proper physical programmes. She said she would like to see more facilities that could cater to all weather conditions.
“My son Mathew goes to soccer practice but when it’s summertime, he has to stop.”
Though parents have emphasised the lack of facilities for children found in the UAE, Dalia said change must begin in the household first.
She said many parents were not aware of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle and are not aware of the components of a healthy meal.
“Leading a healthy lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym but it could be taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking a bit further than usual to walk a bit more.”
— Maria Botros is an intern at Gulf News
