The West Bengal Education Departement has decided to introduce Obesity-prevention courses in the school curriculum. The authorities saw the need to spread awareness on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, among the students, a senior official said
The course will begin at the primary level, for which the distribution of funds has already been started, the official said. Apart from theoretical knowledge, he highlighted the practical aspect of preventing obesity such as yoga, exercise, eating healthy food.
He added that teachers will be taught to spread awareness and persuade students to start practicing yoga to prevent obesity.
“The lessons will explain the necessity of regularly monitoring certain parameters like blood pressure, blood sugar, and body weight. The first two factors have an intimate relation with obesity. All these will be explained in the curriculum to raise the awareness level of the students, which will eventually help their parents know about the basic things about obesity,” the official told PTI.
“The teachers will be trained by physicians in handling the instruments. They will also be taught about the impact of blood pressure, blood sugar and how obesity can be controlled or prevented through controlling food habits and regular exercising,” he said.
The official also said, that ₹3000, ₹7000, and ₹10,000 would be allotted to Primary Schools, Upper Primary Institutions, and Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools respectively.