A new resource aimed at getting children active during school hours has been launched by the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF).

Sixteen years after the publication of the first volume, Action for Life 2 provides teachers with a ready-to-use physical activity resource to help better delivery of physical education in school.

According to the IHF, children are not active enough for heart health, with just one in four nine-year-olds meeting the nationally recommended one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.

The Heart Foundation stressed the importance of getting children active from a young age and the vital role schools have to play in achieving this goal.

The launch of Action for Life 2, supported by the Department of Education and Skills and the HSE, was welcomed by Minister of State Ciarán Cannon, who stressed that physical education is an essential component of the overall school curriculum and he urged schools to continue to prioritise physical education time on the curriculum.

According to IHF Chief Executive Barry Dempsey, helping pupils understand the importance of being active and how it influences their health, especially heart health, is vital.

"We know that in adulthood, not being physically active carries the same risk to heart health as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The earlier we can encourage a healthy lifestyle in our children, the greater their chance of carrying these active habits into adulthood and prevent their development of heart disease and stroke."

Action for Life 2 is designed to support the physical education curricula in primary schools and the overall aim is to educate children on the importance of lifelong participation in physical activity, for good heart health and well being.

The second volume also includes a new 'Rainy Days' supplement which offers short five to 10 minute physical activity breaks for the classroom designed as 'energisers' on wet days or when concentration levels are flagging.