Sir, – Erin McGuire's article "Why teenage girls' fitness is exercising the experts" (Health + Family, September 30th) is both interesting and startling. I could not agree more with the points raised. Children should be educated daily regarding health and wellbeing and should also take part in daily exercise.
As a mother to three girls all at primary school, I can’t help but think that there is an elephant in the room regarding lack of exercise and an increase in obesity among our young folk – and that is homework. My eldest daughter can spend up to 90 minutes after school doing homework.
On a weekly basis, she spends 36½ hours sitting at school, and one hour doing exercise, as per her school curriculum. She does take part in extra sporting activities outside school, but there is only so much a 10-year-old child can do in one day.
I can’t help but think that if homework were kept to a minimum (or better yet scrapped), children would have more time to cycle a bike, go for a walk, kick a ball, or take part in some team sports after school, which should in turn keep them interested in fitness all throughout secondary school, as the habit will have been formed early. – Yours, etc,
MELANIE HUNTER-REID,
Windgates,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.