DELICIOUS is getting stronger in the schools and the implementation of 1-year physical activity intervention program in schools is starting.
On October 4th and 5th, Dr. Osama Abdelkarim, from the Assiut University, in Egypt, visited the two schools included in the DELICIOUS project in Spain, to present this intervention program and had meetings with Paco Solís at Colegio Mercedarias, in Córdoba, and Guillermo Madrid at Colegio Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, in San Clemente (Cuenca). They have been chosen as an example of a rural school in San Clemente (Cuenca) in a population of over 6000 people, and a midsize city such as Córdoba, with a population of 320.000 people.
Córdoba is a historical city in the core of Andalucía, by the river Guadalquivir, and San Clemente is located in La Mancha, in the province of Cuenca, in a very rich area that produces wine, garlic, onions and the well known Manchego cheese.
Both schools have taken part in the pretests last year and over 200 students altogether will experience the new program that the Assiut University and its team have created to study the influence of the physical activity together with the bigger Mediterranean diet adherence in their health.
This 1-year physical activity intervention program will consist of 6 activities, starting with a 20-metre sprint. Then, after that, it’s the jumping sideways and standing long jump to measure its coordination and the flexibility. Right after that, push ups and set ups in 40 seconds, to finish with a test for resistance in a 6-minute run.
The participant students will also use a smart bracelet to measure the steps they make in 7 days. The goal is to increase their steps and to have a more dynamic life. There will be two groups, one of them with kids from age 9 to 11 and then another one from age 13 to 14.
All the information from the children will be anonymized and its data won’t give any private information from the different kids.
These two schools are part of the case studies in seven schools in Lebanon, Egypt, Italy, Portugal and Spain. During the conversation with Dr. Osama Abdelkarim, the physical activity teachers explained the work they do during the school year and they showed how updated they are and the high level of these schools. We managed to see some students during the physical activity class and it was a joy to see how much they were enjoying all the running, jumping and playing in the yard.
At the same time, they will use the editorial material created by Edelvives for over 3 months to learn more about the Mediterranean diet and its benefits.