An exercise and sports science unit at Peradeniya University

SPORTS SCIENCE UNIT: A group of academics attached to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Peradeniya, together with Physical Education Department of the University of Peradeniya, have made an initiative to establish an exercise and sports science unit.

The main objective of this unit is to develop and co-ordinate research programs in the areas of sports science/sports nutrition/sports medicine etc. Short-term workshops on sports and exercise sciences will be conducted to provide up-to-date scientific information in these areas to interested individuals.

This unit will also facilitate the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience among exercise and sports loving professionals in Sri Lanka.

A drastic increase in the incidence of hypokinctic diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus, heart disease, backache etc. has been observed in the Sri Lankan population. The general public in our country has become more sedentary due to adoption of modern lifestyles and coupled to this.

There is a drastic change in food habits resulting in consumption of more fast foods which are high in salt and trans-fats and low in fibre. Thus, another objective of this exercise and sports unit is to popularize physical activity programs such as walking/ jogging /swimming/ aerobics etc. among the general public.

Educating the younger generation of the dangers associated with the present unhealthy trend of increased inactivity plus bad food habits has become urgent if we are to reverse these unhealthy trends, thus this unit will work actively to encourage the government to introduce health exercise and sports science in the school syllabus in a more extensive way.

Another important objective of this unit is to popularize the use of bicycles as a medium of transport so that the usage of fuel can be reduced while improving the health of the population. If the authorities can be persuaded to introduce bicycle tracts or the roads as in most of developed countries, bicycle riders will feel safe to ride on public roads.

Several workshops have already been conducted so far this year by the exercise and sports science unit. Prof. Thomas P. Martin, a Fullbright scholar from Whittenburg, USA, who is an expert on Exercise Physiology and his wife, Helen, who is also involved in this area, were resource persons at these workshops.

A weekend certificate course and a diploma course (based on an Australian model) have been planned by this unit and is scheduled to begin in June 2008.

These courses will be conducted through the Continuing and Distance Education Centre (previously the External Examination Branch) of the University of Peradeniya. The Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha, has given his fullest support to the certificate course in exercise and sports science.