Oz School Introduces Standing Classrooms to Fight Child Obesity

An Australian school has come up with a unique attempt to combat rising childhood obesity rates, by launching the first standing classroom. Researchers at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute have joined hands with Mont Albert Primary School and have placed height-adjustable desks in a grade six class where children can choose between sitting and standing, with most of the students choosing to stand.

The researchers will be monitoring the health of students who stand in order to find out whether standing upright can help improve their health, fitness, learning and memory.

“It is a twofold process: changing the environment and also training the teacher in how to administer this in a new and innovative way. When they stand up they are engaging more muscles that are likely to be of great benefit for keeping the blood flowing throughout their body and reducing the level of fatigue. If we can ingrain good health behaviors in early age we know they track into adulthood”, institute's head of physical activity research, Professor David Dunstan said.



Source-Medindia