On December 15, 2020, the radio station "B5 aktuell" ran another interview with Prof. Oberhoffer-Fritz as part of the fitness initiative "Fit mit Felix" (with BR sports expert Felix Neureuther). In it, the habilitated pediatric cardiologist said, among other things, about the new WHO activity recommendations: "More than 80 percent of children and adolescents worldwide do not adhere to these recommendations for daily physical activity that have now been issued." In addition, she spoke about the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: "There are already early reports now that the first lockdown has caused children to get significantly more physical inactive, sleep worse, gain more weight, and engage in different dietary behaviors, such as sweets and other snacking. That will bring an effect."
Also on December 15, 2020, the Dean was featured in so-called O-tones in the BR-Rundschau (6:30 PM). The piece by TV editor Florian Eckl, who graduated from the Department of Sport and Health Sciences with a major in Media and Communication, focused on the sports facilities closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore pointed out the BR initiative "Fit mit Felix". Among other things, it was addressed that digital media would worsen the trend of lack of exercise: "Maybe just these media, in which you can also find many offers, for example, 'How do you move?', 'Stand up and follow this video clip!', offer certain movement animations. That would be a possibility," Prof. Oberhoffer-Fritz hopes on Bavarian television.
The Dean was last heard on December 20, 2020, with a longer interview in the weekly BR fitness magazine at 7:35 AM and 5:05 PM on "B5 aktuell." With presenter Christine Kellermann she talked, among other things, about the importance of the role model function of parents and family: "This is of course enormous! Right now, it is particularly difficult for parents who may not have childcare available, schools are closing, parents are supposed to be working and then also be a role model when it comes to exercise and nutrition. It's certainly a very challenging situation right now. But it is indeed the case that if the parents set a good example, the children will naturally follow."
In addition, Prof. Oberhoffer-Fritz took the schools and politics in responsibility: "Of course, we perceive the problem of schools, which we see from our side in the training of physical education teachers, that in the course of all-day school it is not sufficiently adapted and lack of exercise is also an issue there. Finally, one would expect from politics that the active school routes and bike paths are safe. In addition, we would like to see long-term studies that examine the behavior of children and families and also receive appropriate support. Unfortunately, prevention research is not as important as basic research in medicine, for example. We would like to see more openness on the part of the relevant third-party funders. A little more lobbying for sport, exercise and health would be nice."
To the homepage of the Chair of Preventive Pediatrics
Contact:
Prof. Dr. med. Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
Dean Department of Sports and Health Sciences
Chair of Preventive Pediatrics
Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24570
e-mail: renate.oberhoffer(at)tum.de
Text: Romy Schwaiger
Photo: BR-Rundschau