?International instructor Istvan Balyi warned of the dangers of physical literacy and its negative influence on the community’s health in general, and on sports, in specific.
The Canadian professor also described the Kingdom of Bahrain as the first Arab nation to issue a publication on physical literacy to fight this phenomena which started to spread in many countries all over the world.
This was announced during a lecture organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee’s (BOC) Sports Training and Development Centre yesterday (Saturday) at the Education Ministry’s hall in Isa Town.
Joined by Dr Husain Jaffer of the Sports Training and Development Centre, Balyi started the lecture by introducing Physical literacy, which is the development of fundamental movement skills and fundamental sport skills that permit a child to move confidently and with control, in a wide range of physical activity, rhythmic and sport situations.
Physical literacy also includes the ability to “read” what is going on around them in an activity setting and react appropriately to those events.
“For full physical literacy children should learn fundamental movement skills and fundamental sport skills in each of four basic environments – on the ground, in the water, on snow and ice and in the air,” said Balyi.
“Physical literacy gives children the tools they need to take part in physical activity and sport, both for healthy life-long enjoyment and for sporting success; and is a key component of Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) program”.
“The learning and practice of fundamental movement skills is the basic building block for the development of physical literacy,” added Balyi.
According to the visiting professor, research shows that without the development of physical literacy, many children and youth withdraw from physical activity and sport and turn to more inactive and/or unhealthy choices during their leisure time.
Balyi also referred to the dangers of obesity spreading among children, and noted that Bahrain has become the second highest country in the world to have children suffering from obesity.
“Childhood obesity and rising inactivity among children threatens the future health of Canada, and the problem needs to be addressed now if we are to prevent a generation of children from growing up with chronic health problems,” he said.
“We also know that being physically active later in life depends on feeling confident in an activity setting; and that confidence, as an adult, most often comes from having learned fundamental movement and sport skills as a child”.
Therefore, to create an active and healthy population all children need a sound foundation of movement and sport skills to build on later in life; and this foundation is called Physical Literacy.
The concluded with BOC general secretary Abdulrahman Askar honouring both lecturers and thanked them for their efforts in giving the audience such valuable points about this important subject.
