Dubai: Students in Dubai will no longer be allowed to skip physical training (PT) classes in school except for medical reasons, a top official of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has said.
Speaking to XPRESS following the issue of new nutritional guidelines laid out for schools from this academic year, Dr Wafa Ayesh, DHA’s director of clinical nutrition, said the guidelines have been stepped up in an effort to nip childhood obesity in the bud.
She said schools and parents have the responsibility to ensure that children are physically active to stay healthy. “No excuses should be entertained unless it is medically advised,” she said, adding that medical certificates would have to be issued wherever necessary.
Besides physical training, the guidelines also provide details of the nutritional quotient of the foods recommended for students. “The guidelines are detailed laying out specifications, down to the nutritional value of a food item, its colour, presence of additives or preservatives, its wrapping, transportation and storage.”
She said nutrition and physical activity go hand-in-hand and students need to adapt to an active lifestyle so that they will grow into healthy adults. She urged parents to set an example by making exercise a family activity. Dr Wafa said the authorities would conduct surprise inspections and violators would face penalties.
