Hungary: a national examination of obesity in schools
The Prime Minister of Hungary has decided to set up a national fitness exam, through physical tests. This test aims to better advise parents of students in order to reduce childhood obesity and overweight. A new concept in Europe.
Obesity concerns
In Hungary, many people are worried about diet, overweight and childhood obesity. These are both parents of pupils, teachers, administrations and ministries of the State. This is why information measures and various campaigns are regularly implemented.
Specialists in the field of food, nutrition and weight-related illnesses are multiplying: nutritionists, dieticians, endocrinologists, etc. The latter offer support to inform, advise, monitor and provide care to patients.
But they are not the only ones . Schools, also concerned about the weight gain of their students, seem concerned by these diseases of the 21st century. Therefore, in addition to information campaigns, establishments in Hungary have opted for tests relating to obesity.
A National Obesity Review
An idea at the origin of Viktor Orban, conservative Prime Minister of Hungary who wishes to face overweight and childhood obesity by proposing a test for pupils aged 10 to 18 years . It is in no way a MCQ (Multiple Choice Questionnaire) or a written assessment but a sporting test called the National Fitness Examination .
This test will allow the teaching staff, the parents of pupils but also the pupils to know their physical and sporting predispositions but also information such as the IMG ( Fat Mass Index ) and other related parameters.
These students will be subjected to several physical exercises, obviously adapted to their age. And depending on the results obtained, they will be affiliated with one of these categories: “in good health”, “need for training” or “need for specific training”.
These results will allow the parents of these students to modify certain elements of their child’s lifestyle : better food balance, vigilance relative to nibbling, usefulness of physical exercise such as encouraging outdoor activities for children and offering individual sport. or collective.
What were the results ?
Following this test, the results were as follows:
- Obesity has affected up to 20% of Hungarian students, or 1 in 5 children.
- This figure remains worrying given that it is a question of childhood obesity. The consequences for these children could be the following: joint and rheumatological pain, pulmonary and cardiovascular problems, etc.
- It was found that 60% of students with obesity did not receive a healthy diet and lacked physical activity and sports.
These results will allow parents to modify family meals and offer more outdoor activities for the health of their children.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.