TAF Luck!

In support of National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign, the Ministry of Education (MOE) of Singapore launched the Trim and Fit (TAF) Programme in 1992. The aim of the TAF programme is to tackle obesity and lack of physical fitness. It is believed that arresting the problem at an early stage would curb the rise of lifestyle diseases, and thus all pupils from the primary schools to pre-university levels have been inducted into the programme.

The primary purpose of a typical TAF club in schools is to help the overweight pupils in the school lose weight and embrace a healthy lifestyle. The TAF sessions are usually conducted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The selected pupils workout before school or during recess, and teachers monitor their food intake during their respective recesses.

Despite the positive message of inculcating healthy living from a young age, the programme has drawn concerns from the public over its effectiveness. Jeremy, 14, a Young Ambassador for the National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) Children's Medical Fund wrote to TODAY and suggested that TAF probably stood for "Torture Anyone Fat" as the participants feel as if they are being "punished" for being fat. He feels that the TAF programme should be reviewed such that it should not be compulsory for fat students but attractive for anyone to join. It should be designed such that it is self-monitoring and participants truly understand the importance of leading healthy lifestyles.

The TAF scheme which incidentally spells FAT in reverse is wrong in alienating and humiliating overweight people. Some friends have even revealed to me that the label has made them suffer low self-esteem and has eroded their will to be fit. The fact is everyone, fit or fat, should be encouraged to live healthy and there shouldn't be any segregation. In fact some schools have already decided to break from norm and introduced their own fitness scheme for all students. Fitness actitivies can also be fun activities.

Another matter that DJ Glenn Ong from Perfect 10 98.7FM brought up was that the scheme should be abolished for primary schools. Perhaps the scheme is much too harsh for primary school students, for a personal friend of mine who is a doctor even told me that kids of their age are still growing and it is okay to have a little baby fat. A lot of my friends who were tubby when young have all grown up to be fit individuals by their own effort during later years and not because of some TAF scheme.

We need to encourage healthy living from a young age but not by methods of imposing and discrimination. At the end of the day, individuals must realise that fitness is for themselves and they will reap its benefits.