EFFECT OF PLANKPAD GAMING AND ISOMETRIC EXERCISE ON THE CORE STRENGTH OF SELECTED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

HEALTHCARE EXPERTS ARE ARGUING THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR AN ALL-INCLUSIVE AND RESULT ORIENTED FITNESS FOR CHILDREN IN INDIA. CHILDREN'S HEALTH IS BECOMING A MATTER OF CONCERN IN GLOBALLY. ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION OBESE CHILDREN TEND TO FALL PREY TO LIFESTYLE DISEASE TO THE EXTENT OF 60-70% WHEN THEY REACH THEIR 30S AND 40S (THE MOST PRODUCTIVE YEARS OF LIVES). BEING THE SECOND MOST POPULATED COUNTRY OF THE WORLD, THE SITUATION IS EVEN MORE ALARMING IN INDIA. STATISTICS PROVIDED BY INDIAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM SHOWS THAT 5.74 TO 8.82 % SCHOOL CHILDREN IN INDIA ARE OBESE. MEANWHILE, A STUDY PUBLISHED IN PAEDIATRIC OBESITY PREDICTS THAT INDIA WILL HAVE ABOUT 17 MILLION OBESE CHILDREN BY 2025. ANOTHER STUDY SHOWS THAT ABOUT 97,000 CHILDREN INDIA SUFFER FROM TYPE I DIABETES. POOR EATING HABIT AND SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE AMONG CHILDREN ARE TWO OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR THE DECLINING LEVELS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS IN CHILDREN, LEADING TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY, DIABETES AND OTHER LIFESTYLE DISEASES WHILE HEALTH AND FITNESS EDUCATION PROVIDED IN SCHOOLS IS SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN DEALING WITH THIS HEALTH ISSUE, EXPERTS HAVE NOTICED THAT THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS BEING PURSUED BY THE SCHOOLS IN INDIA ARE EITHER OBSOLETE OR INADEQUATE IN ADDRESSING THE EMERGING HEALTH CHALLENGES SINCE THEY MOSTLY REVOLVE AROUND THEORETICAL ASPECTS OR RANDOM SPORTS. EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE EXPERTS POINT OUT THAT IN INDIA NO MORE THAN 10% SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN ARE INTO ACTIVE AND COMPETITIVE SPORTS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS TEND TO FOCUS ONLY ON THE DIET OF THE KIDS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO REPRESENT THE SCHOOL AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL EVENTS, EXCLUDING A MAJORITY OF CHILDREN WHO END UP AS FAIENCE – SITTERS IN THE PE PERIODS.