Around 180,000 primary school children have signed up for a health programme that aims to highlight the importance of physical activity.

The Super Troopers programme encourages teachers, parents and children to put as much emphasis on daily exercise as regular school homework. Figures from Safefood show that one in four children in Ireland is currently overweight or obese and the aim of the programme is to change children's habits in the long-term

It was designed by teachers and is backed by clinical psychologist and parenting expert, David Coleman.

"Super Troopers is unique in that it is the first health programme that bridges school with home, and connects kids with their ‘triangle of influence' - peers, teachers and families - to get more active and learn healthy habits together. It is building good habits from a young age.

"While it's aimed, in part, at tackling the issue of childhood obesity, Super Troopers is a game changer as it concentrates more on fostering healthy attitudes and behaviours around physical activity, food and wellbeing that kids can take from childhood into adulthood," Mr Coleman said.

So far, 180,000 children, 7,000 teachers and 75,000 families have signed up to the programme and it is now in place in around 1,000 primary schools. Schools can continue to sign up until October 30.

"We need more intervention initiatives like this that are less concerned with ‘quick fixes' and more invested in long-term preventative healthcare that deliver measurable attitudinal and behavioural shifts. I'd encourage teachers and schools to sign up for Super Troopers if they've not yet done so," Mr Coleman said.

The programme is run over a 30-week period and it provides an easy-to-follow physical activity homework planner, that is based on short bursts of activity on a daily basis.

According to Susan Gibney, principal of the Queen of Angels Primary School in Dublin 16, the programme introduced a ‘fresh approach to physical activity' among her students.

"The programme is inclusive and it made a tangible impact to the overall wellbeing of our children and their families during the pilot year, so we didn't hesitate to sign up again this year. It's no longer a case of ‘them' and ‘us' when it comes to parents and teachers and whose role it is to encourage children to get more physically active. With Super Troopers we work together collaboratively. It sounds so simple, but it really has delivered a breakthrough in our school's approach to physical activity and general wellbeing," she commented.

For more information on Super Troopers, which is supported by Laya Healthcare, click here