More Australian schools urged to participate in the Jump Rope for Heart program

February 20, 2023

More Australian schools are being urged by the Heart Foundation to participate in the Jump Rope for Heart program in a bid to improve the physical fitness of school aged children.

The call from the Heart Foundation comes as the organisation supports a new study which aims to understand whether staying fit in childhood reduces the risk of heart disease later in life.

Jump Rope for Heart this month celebrates its 40th anniversary. The program is a cultural icon for Australian school chioldren dating back to its beginnings in 1983. It has long been a way for schools to encourage children to take up physical activity while learning about fundraising for heart health.

Offered to students in Years 1 to 6, The Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart program is an exciting and non-competitive program which encourages children to become more active through skipping, learning new skills and raising vital funds for heart research and community health programs. Students learn a range of fun skipping skills and tricks, and the importance of regular physical activity and a healthy lifestyle is emphasised.

The Jump Rope team provides the school with resources and support to implement the program and in return students are asked to seek sponsorship for their involvement.

At the end of the program a ‘Jump Off’ event is held to celebrate – families are invited to come along to see their child’s new skipping skills!

Despite the program’s success, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that children spend more time sitting or lying down with digital devices than they do playing outside.

Consequently, one in four Australian children is either overweight or obese, and only a quarter of all aged five to 14 undertake the required 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

The Heart Foundation is supporting Dr Brooklyn Fraser from the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research to measure the long-term benefits to heart health of greater child fitness, and investigate ways for parents and teachers to identify at-risk children.

Dr Fraser’s research may lead to helping schools implement fitness programs with the view of helping students avoid heart disease later in life.

Dr Fraser notes “there is growing evidence that child fitness levels are in decline, and that this may contribute to poor heart health in the future.

“This is what has motivated me to investigate this further and identify children who may be at risk and to find new ways to increase their physical fitness levels.

“My advice in the meantime is that schools shouldn’t wait: programs like Jump Rope for Heart will help to increase fitness levels among students, thereby potentially reducing their risk of heart disease into adulthood.”

Jump Rope for Heart’s 40th Anniversary

Jump Rope for Heart offers schools a chance to encourage physical activity among students and to teach them about fundraising. Since 1983, Jump Rope for Heart has:

Been skipped in by more than 10 million Aussie children;
Seen 90% of Australian schools take part at some point in time
Helped to raise more than $111 million for the Heart Foundation to support vital heart research.

The Heart Foundation’s head of physical activity, Elizabeth Calleja, said Jump Rope for Heart was a great way for schools to play an important role in keeping children active.

Calleja adds “participating schools receive all the information and support they need to help students and teachers to take part in Jump Rope for Heart.

“This includes everything from education resources about heart health through to guidance on how to raise money."

For more information about Jump Rope for Heart visit www.jumprope.org.au/

Background – Jump Rope for Heart
In 1982 Mr Kelly Andrews, Director of Special Events from the American Heart Association attended a Heart Foundation seminar in Australia where he discussed “Jump Rope”.
He described this skipping program as “a rapidly growing, healthy activity” particularly among school children in his country.
With strong support from the Australian Council for Health Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER), the Heart Foundation launched Jump Rope for Heart in 1983.
The US Hot Dog demonstration team visited Australia to launch the program which was promoted to schools (primary and secondary), tertiary institutions and community groups.
As a major national health, fitness and fundraising project it was an outstanding success.
Jump Rope for Heart was received positively by government, departments of education, physical educators, schools and community groups and, despite initial teething problems, it was the most profitable fundraising project for 1983 raising $1,417,247.
All states and territories began their participation in 1983 except the Northern Territory who joined the program in 1984.

About the Heart Foundation
The Heart Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fighting the single biggest killer of Australians – heart disease. For 60-plus years, it has led the battle to save lives and improve the heart health of all Australians. Its sights are set on a world where people don’t suffer or die prematurely because of heart disease. Find out your risk of heart attack or stroke by using the Heart Age Calculator. To find out about the Heart Foundation’s research program or to make a donation, visit www.heartfoundation.org.au

Image: Beaumaris North Primary School in Victoria taking part in Jump Rope for Heart program

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30th June 2022 - Australians achieve record 300,000 Heart Health Check milestone

31st March 2022 - BFT launches bespoke heart rate system for group training

14th February 2022 - Installation of outdoor fitness equipment among Healthy Heart of Victoria initiatives for Loddon Campaspe Region

21st April 2021 - Myzone launches MZ Switch mobile heart rate monitor

5th August 2020 - New research finds obesity and overweight driving premature heart disease deaths

26th October 2018 - Study shows that not exercising is worse for health than smoking, diabetes and heart disease

22nd January 2018 - Wodify and Myzone partner to bring group heart rate training to CrossFit

12th May 2017 - Technogym introduces new heart rate solution

29th September 2015 - Heart Foundation highlights massive danger for ‘overweight’ Darwin

29th September 2014 - Increase in physical activity vital for heart health

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