A conference on physical activity in schools was recently organized by Frederick University in Limassol. In this context, the results of the research project HEPA – A whole school approach promoting Health Enhancing Physical Activity were presented.
According to an announcement by the university, academics and researchers from Cyprus and internationally referred to good practices for promoting physical activity in schools in Finland, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, seeking answers to the question: How the school environment can influence in promoting physical activity?
It should be noted that the project HEPA – A whole school approach promoting Health Enhancing Physical Activity, funded by the European Erasmus+ program, coordinates Frederick University with partner organizations/bodies in five other European countries: the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), the Directorate of Secondary Education Pieria (Greece), Cardiff Metropolitan University (United Kingdom), Europe Active (Belgium), University of Jyvaskyla (Finland), University of Bolzano (Italy) and the Cypriot Association of Olympic Games Participants (Cyprus).
The Conference was held in the presence of Andreas Michaelidis, President of the Cyprus Sports Organization (CSO) and Kostas Mylonas, Inspector of Physical Education of Secondary Education on behalf of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Athena Michaelidou.
It is added that in as part of the HEPA project, educational material was created which will be given to organizations active in the field of education with the aim of promoting physical activity in the school environment and not only in the gym class.
"Kids need to learn early how to incorporate activity into their daily lives, because research shows that active kids become active adults" says Dr. Elena Papakosta, Assistant Professor of Occupational Physiology at Frederick University's Physical Education and Sports Science Program, researcher and coordinator of the HERA project.
During the Conference, Declercq Lukas on behalf of EuropeActive, the largest Organization that active in Brussels in the field of Health and Physical Activity, referred to the importance of a cross-sectoral approach in the promotion of physical activity. Paul Sellars, Researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University's Center for Health, Physical Activity and Wellbeing referred to good practice in promoting physical activity to improve health in Wales while Timo Jaakkola, academic and Mikko Huhtiniemi, researcher at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland gave examples from the creation of active schools in terms of physical activity.
Source: KYPE
