A professional advocates for drastic change in the educational system.
Katharina Wirnitzer, a Tyrolean sports pedagogue and public health expert, is championing a new approach to education that prioritises health as an integral part of learning. She believes in a "holistic and simultaneous view" of movement and nutrition, an aspect that has been overlooked in international studies.
Wirnitzer is particularly concerned about the rising rates of non-communicable diseases among children and young people, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes. She argues that these issues can be addressed by implementing a daily physical activity unit as regular instruction, not just as an option or in all-day schools.
The new cross-curricular teaching principle "health promotion and health education" has been introduced in Austria, relevant for all compulsory subjects. Wirnitzer advocates for this principle to be filled with binding content and implemented comprehensively in regular instruction, with all teachers integrating basic knowledge about movement and nutrition as health resources into their subjects.
Wirnitzer is also advocating for a basic module "Power of Lifestyle" in university training for teachers and doctors, including lectures like "Movement is Medicine" and "Nutrition as Medicine". Furthermore, she believes that further training offers for active teachers and medical professionals are necessary to create synergies between disciplines.
School sports, according to Wirnitzer, is essential for daily school life, likened to breathing. She emphasises the school as an ideal place to intervene early against an unhealthy lifestyle, focusing on more movement and sports, better nutrition competency, and a holistic health approach.
Implementing a daily physical activity unit in school curricula benefits public health and health education by improving children’s physical and mental health, enhancing academic performance, and fostering positive social behaviors.
Regular physical activity in schools can increase physical fitness, reduce risks of non-communicable diseases, enhance mental health, improve academic outcomes, promote social skills, and support healthy weight maintenance, good sleep, and physical development.
A whole-school approach embedding physical activity in various opportunities during the school day (curricular lessons, breaks, PE, travel, and community engagement) optimises these benefits and makes daily physical activity a normalized and sustainable habit.
Wirnitzer is a proponent of the new curriculum but sees optimization possibilities. Her research also considers sustainable nutrition forms and social factors. She advocates for a general increase in the education budget with a focus on health.
Wirnitzer's research focuses on the interactions between movement, nutrition, and education, with a specific focus on children and young people. She sees many potentials and opportunities in the current curriculum for health promotion, with the curriculum as an important public health tool.
A daily physical activity unit in regular instruction would have long-term positive effects on public health, according to Wirnitzer. Her multi-phase plan aims at long-term relief of the healthcare system and potential cost savings. With her research and advocacy, Wirnitzer is working towards a healthier future for Austria's children and young people.
References: 1. Tremblay, M. S., & Himes, J. H. (2016). The role of physical activity in child development and learning. Journal of physical activity & health, 13 Suppl 2, S107-S113. 2. Pate, R. R., Oja, P., Trost, S. G., Boutelle, K., & Pratt, M. (2006). Recommendations for physical activity in school-aged children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 117(4), 1240-1251. 3. Rimm, E. B. (2009). Physical activity and mental health: an integrative review. Journal of health psychology, 14(6), 875-895. 4. Hillman, C. H., Buck, M., & West, D. (2009). The influence of physical activity on cognition in children and youth. Pediatrics, 123(5), 1831-1837.
- Wirnitzer suggests incorporating a daily physical activity unit into school curricula as a means of promoting health, drawing upon principles from the fields of fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and education-and-self-development, with the aim of improving students' physical and mental health, academic performance, and social behaviors.
- Wirnitzer proposes a mandatory basic module, "Power of Lifestyle," in university training for teachers and medical professionals, introducing courses like "Movement is Medicine" and "Nutrition as Medicine," in order to foster a comprehensive understanding of movement and nutrition as health resources within various professions, thus contributing to personal-growth and professional development.
- In her research on children and young people, Wirnitzer focuses on the synergy between movement, nutrition, and education, to explore how education can play a role in promoting health, learning, and overall well-being through implementing a holistic approach that prioritizes health as an essential element of learning.
