G440 Childhood health promotion during 1870–1901

Abstract

Aim Taking physical education as an exemplar, the aim of this study is to explore and discuss child health promotion in Britain and the USA during the late Victorian era (LVA), utilising the Children and Youth version of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF-CY) as a frame for analysis. The ICF-CY describes the interrelationships of body structures and function; of activities and participations and of the contextual influences of environment and personal factors for given health states. Methods Archival papers were identified from searches of PubMed; the LA84 Foundation and the library search functions of the Manchester Metropolitan University and subject to Framework Analysis as supported by the ICF-CY. Results The literature of the LVA saw an emphasis on the physical education of boys. In terms of body structures and functions, advances in the physiology of diet and exercise, with an emphasis on anthropometrical measures as a determinant for athletic prowess and selection, were found. For activities and participations, the ‘educative’ benefits of physical exercise for the formation of psychological factors such as character, resilience and morality were described. For the influence of contextual factors, such as attitudes and cultural influences, Britain saw the pursuit of a ‘selected’ ancient Greek ideal of combined intellectual and physical development, with an emphasis on all round activities and ‘moderation’. For the USA, ‘hard’ and sometimes specialised physical training was deemed as important for the development of ‘manly’ virtues. For both countries the detrimental effect overtraining for boys was recognised. Female exercise was promoted in separate learning environments and with activities of a lower intensity than for boys. However, research insights from biomedical sciences such as physiology and neuroscience did not systematically inform physical education practices in Britain and the USA, despite the growth of inter-disciplinary groups and the increasing availability of biomedical publications in the LVA. Conclusion The ICF-CY supports the historiography of physical education for children and youth during the late Victorian era. This has a parallel with the modern era of health promotion and the knowledge gained from sport and exercise science.