Dubai, November 29: As Aliyah Khan walked to school with her parents at 7:30 in the morning she said, “I feel fresh.” Last week her teachers found her to be more attentive in class and her mother said she had a spring in her step.
What has this 10-year-old been doing differently? She’s been ditching modern transport and walking to school.
“She’s been much more alert,” said Ala Khan, her mother.
“When we drive her to school, she’s droopy eyed and slouched in the car. But this week she has been bright and all geared up for school,” she said.
Along with more than 90 students, Aliyah and her parents have been reaping the benefits of walking as part of the ‘Walk to School’ campaign at Uptown Primary School, Mirdiff, in Dubai.
The school is a 20-minute walk from the Khans’ residence. It is a family affair now and it has introduced exercise into their daily activities.
Layla Chamilothoris, who does not live in Mirdiff, insisted that her mother park at a distance from the school and she walks the remaining distance with her.
“At first she hated the idea. But then I told her I have to do it and she had to agree,” said the strong willed member of the student council, who has been promoting the healthy habit among students.
Walking contributes to children’s health by developing physical, practical, emotional and social skills. Health professionals recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday.
A survey by the Ministry of Health revealed that more than 50 per cent of the school children are obese.
In Dubai 26.7 per cent students are overweight and 12.2 per cent were found to be obese.
Dividing physical activity into 15 to 20 minutes periods throughout the day helps keep weight under control and prevents diseases like diabetes that is increasingly affecting young children in the UAE. Primary school student, Farah Abdul understands that walking is good for those who are overweight.
“If you’ve had too much to eat, it helps digest the food and burn the fat,” she explained.
She encouraged her mother to undertake the task as well, since, “My mum needs to lose weight,” she said.
School teacher Shayne Debeer said the goal was to make students take small steps towards being conscious about their health and environment.
“It has opened a lot of discussion about how children can stay fit and, at the same time, contribute to reducing the carbon footprint,” she said.
Children got the opportunity to mix socially with their peers as many group-walked and parents found time to bond with their children.
“When my mother drives me to school, I cannot talk or ask questions, because she tells me to stay quite while she concentrates on her driving,” said Zac Brind. “But I have been having a lot of fun during these walks,” he said.
Parents Ruth Carney and Louis Brind, who spearheaded the campaign, said the response has been great but many parents and students could not participate due to the unsafe walking conditions in the area.
“The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) needs to construct pavements and pedestrian crossings near the school to encourage more students to walk,” Brind said.
Ala Khan agreed by saying she would like to do it everyday and that it has been a challenge to cross the roads with cars going past the residential areas at high speeds.
“The children are forbidden to leave the house unassisted. The walk week has been fun but not easy,” she said.
Layla said the student council will petition to the RTA to build walkways and bridges to make it easier to walk to school.
“It will encourage more parents and students to walk,” she said.
–Agencies