Valerie Stoute¹, Nicole Camille Parris^2,

Studies have shown that being overweight kills, primarily by promoting heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and many cancers. Physical inactivity and diet have long been recognized as the two principal causes of obesity in most people. The earlier the tendency to inactivity is reversed the better may be the sustainability of healthy lifestyle choices. Trinidad and Tobago has very high rates of both Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Diabetes and must try to minimize their prevalence. This article explores the feasibility of introducing into the secondary school curriculum a mandatory, no-credit programme of daily structured physical activity at all levels. Three proprietary structured surveys were administered online, one specific to each of Principals, Teachers, and Students in secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. These instruments probed the respondents’ awareness of and concern for the problem of overweight and related illnesses in young children and even in the adult population of Trinidad and Tobago; the perceived importance of physical activity; the willingness on the part of both the students and the teachers to participate in such a programme; and the optimum possible structure for the programme, in terms of its duration, its period placement on the timetable, and the frequency of its delivery. There was strong consensus among Teachers for the introduction of the programme into the curriculum and for the hiring of more P.E. teachers and the supply of more equipment to support it. Students showed an impressive awareness of the benefits from physical activity, scoring strongly the features of improved health and fitness, reduced obesity, better discipline, greater motivation, more self-confidence, and better socialization skills, among other positives.

mandatory no-credit programme of physical activity, secondary school curriculum, structured survey