Health-related knowledge and behaviour of primary school children

M.Comm.There is a serious need for children to be informed about the negative influence of unhealthy living. Children need to be made aware ofhealthy eating habits, health risks andthebenefits ofexerciseto improvetheirhealth. The impact ofbadeating habits and little exercise needs to be emphasized in order for learners to see the importance of healthy living. The aim of this study is to identify relevant aspects from the related literature and practise, to establish emperically the health-related knowledge and behaviour of senior primary phase school children in the Honeydew area and to offer recommendations for health education for primary school children. This study is explorative ofnature. A academic research was done on the related literature on health and physical health education. Qualitative Data has been collected from three schools in the Honeydew area by means of a self-constructed questionnaire. These schools were selected due to the fact that the researcher teaches at one of the schools, and the other schools were easily accessible to the researcher. Several pilot studies were done to test the validity of the questionnaires. In order for the questionnaire to have been statistically reliable, 102 questionnaires were completed by learners from all three schools. From the data gathered the researcher came to the conclusion that learners in the Honeydew area have a reasonable general knowledge of health and they have a relatively healthy lifestyle. There are however reasons for concern in some areas and these need to be adressed. The high consumption ofeggs, salt, snacks and soft drinks may have a negative effect on the learners' health. The emotional well being of the child may have an influence on the child's eating habits. When children get depressed or bored, they eat simply because they do not have anything else to do and then they often eat chocolates or snacks like crisps. Every school has a tuck shop and even if a parent provided a nutritional lunch box for the child, the child may still buy chocolates and crisps at the tuck shop. Some parents give the learners money to buy lunch and then they buy sweets, instead. The use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs is definitely bad for the leamer's health. Some learners were involved in unprotected sex, this is matter of serious concern. AIDS is a terrible disease that is increasing drastically daily. It is very important that learners need to be informed about health hazards to ensure a healthy lifestyle for all. Learners need to be informed about drug abuse, alcohol abuse, physical abuse and healthy eating habits to ensure that they can become healthy, contributary and responsible citizens in the future. There is a definite need for a health education programme in schools to ensure that the learners stay healthy and lead healthy lives in the future